The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry will discuss further liberalization of the electricity retail market, the minister said Tuesday.
"We will start to review the existing system at an early date to advance to the ultimate goal of liberalization," Takeo Hiranuma told a news conference.
The subcommittee on the electric power industry under the Advisory Committee for Natural Resources and Energy will take charge of discussions toward the next liberalization phase planned for fiscal 2003, following the March 2000 step to lift regulations on power supply to large-lot users.
Hiranuma said he wants this panel to be chaired by former Keio University President and economist Yasuhiko Torii.
The ministry is considering taking a drastic step in the planned liberalization, with a view to liberalizing power supply to households.