TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's government approved subsidies for renewable energy sources on Monday in a scheme that will start from July 1.

The approval by trade and industry minister Yukio Edano marks the final go-ahead for new incentives for renewable energy that could unleash billions of dollars of investment in clean-energy and help Japan shift away from nuclear power.

Edano approved recommendations made by an advisory panel that set the level utilities must pay for electricity supplied from solar, wind and other sources of renewable energy.

(Reporting by Yoko Kubota; Editing by Michael Watson)