=?UTF-8?B?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 1Y2UgZGVwZW5kZW5jZSBvbiBvdmVyc2VhcyByZXNvdXJjZXMuIE1ldGhhbmUgaHlkcmF0ZXMgaG9sZCB0aGUgcG90ZW50aWFsIHRvIGJlY29tZSBhIG5ldyBwaWxsYXIgaW4gSmFwYW4ncyBlbmVyZ3kgcG9saWN5LiA=?=

### History and Current Status of Methane Hydrate Development (1996–2020s) Methane hydrate is attracting attention as a next-generation energy resource with vast reserves in waters near Japan. The first survey plan was announced in 1996. During the 2000s, surveys on reserves in the eastern Nankai Trough area progressed. In 2013 and 2017, Japan succeeded in the world's first offshore production tests. In the 2020s, technological development aimed at commercialization is underway, with key challenges including stable gas production technology, minimizing environmental impact, and cost reduction. The government aims for commercialization in the late 2030s, expecting it to enhance domestic energy self-sufficiency and reduce dependence on overseas resources. Methane hydrates hold the potential to become a new pillar in Japan's energy policy.