Offshore Goto City in Nagasaki was the first Promotion Zone designated under Japan’s Renewable Sea Area Act, the law that sets out how sea areas are allocated for offshore wind. Goto Floating Wind Farm LLC’s 16.8MW floating project began operation on 5 January 2026. It is the first plant to start operating in a zone under this law, and Japan’s first commercial multi-turbine floating wind farm.
This page tracks where the project stands and what gets decided next, using primary sources. It is updated monthly.
1. Where Goto Stands (October 2026)
| Status | Promotion Zone (designated 27 December 2019) |
|---|---|
| Foundation | Floating: hybrid spar (steel upper section, concrete lower section) |
| Tender round | Selected in the first tender, often called Round 0 (June 2021) |
| Developer | Goto Floating Wind Farm LLC (Toda Corporation, ENEOS Renewable Energy, Osaka Gas, INPEX, Kansai Electric Power, Chubu Electric Power) |
| Size and price | 16.8MW (8 × Hitachi 2.1MW); JPY 36/kWh |
| COD | 5 January 2026 (delayed from January 2024 after a defect was found in the floater) |
| Next steps | Operating record and maintenance of floaters and moorings |
2. From Designation to Construction: Timeline
| Date | Event | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Dec 2019 | Designated as Japan’s first Promotion Zone | METI |
| Jun 2021 | Goto Floating Wind Farm LLC selected at JPY 36/kWh | METI |
| Sep 2023 | COD moved to January 2026 after a floater defect delayed construction (approved by the government) | Toda Corporation |
| 5 Jan 2026 | Commercial operation begins, the first in a zone under the Act | METI |
3. EIA Status: Completed Through the Final Report
Japan’s environmental impact assessment runs in four stages: a primary document, a scoping document, a draft report with survey and prediction results, and a final report. The procedure for Goto has been completed through the final report.
| Project | Developer | Stage | Notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goto City offshore wind (provisional) | Toda Corporation | Final report | 2018/07 |
4. Site Conditions
The site lies off Fukue Island in water deeper than 100m, too deep for fixed-bottom foundations, hence the floating design. The floaters were built at a yard set up in Fukue Port.
For a cost comparison with other zones on the same assumptions, see 👉 Cost Realities of Japan’s Offshore Wind: LCOE and IRR.
What to Watch Next
- First-year output. As Japan’s first commercial floating farm, its capacity factor and outage record will shape assumptions for the floating projects that follow.
- Maintenance of floaters and moorings. Given the defect found during construction, the inspection regime in operation is a point to watch.
- The Goto South (floating) area. It was listed as a Preparation Zone in October 2025, and whether a next project grows nearby is the next step.
Related DeepWind Articles
- Japan’s Offshore Wind Promotion Zones: A Complete Project List
- Japan’s Offshore Wind Promotion Zone Guideline Revision (March 2026)
Free reportWhich of April’s planning assumptions no longer hold? Our 17-page review of Japan’s offshore wind market, April to September 2026. Free when you subscribe to the Weekly. See what’s inside →