Page 8 - AsiaElec Week 22 2022

AsiaElec POLICY AsiaElec

Japan succumbs to G7

pressure to curb links to coal

JAPAN
BOTH at home and abroad, Japan has bowed to to the twin assurances by Japanese government
pressure from fellow G7 nations to move away members, Tokyo had initially tried to water
from backing overseas coal power plant con- down both commitments before opposition
struction in addition to playing a part in “an arose from fellow European member nations.
accelerated global unabated coal phase-out” by As the only G7 nation without a dedi-
significantly reducing its own reliance on fossil cated phase-out plan on fossil fuel usage by
fuels by 2035. 2035, Japan’s assurances in Berlin cannot be
Speaking at the end of a three-day meeting of understated.
G7 energy and environment ministers in Berlin, In steps, Tokyo now plans to increase to 59%
Japan’s representative, State Minister Toshitaka the amount of electricity sourced from a combi-
Ooka, said: “There is no wavering in our com- nation of nuclear power and renewable sources;
mitment to 1.5C … the need for action on decar- a significant increase from figures just two years
bonisation was reaffirmed at the G7.” ago, when 70% of electricity generation in Japan
Ooka went on to say that when Japan takes still came from coal and gas, and renewables pro-
over the presidency of the G7 in 2023, energy duced only around 20% of all power generated.
matters would be “the most critical challenge.” Overseas too, Japan stepping back from
Climate activists have already praised the financing CPP construction will hit a number of
public announcements by Japanese and other fellow Asian nations hard. From 2018 to 2020,
attendees, although there now remains some Tokyo supported numerous coal and other fossil
doubt as to how Japan will move forward once fuel projects overseas to the tune of $10.9bn per
the dust settles. year.
“The language in the statement is strong, and Many of these projects in various stages of
goes beyond the Japanese government’s previous completion are located in nearby Southeast
position” said Kimiko Hirata, the international Asian nations such as Indonesia and Vietnam.
director of Japanese environmental NGO, Kiko Speaking of Japan succumbing to G7 pres-
Network. sure, Jones called the 2035 target a “challenge”
And while Japan has not yet guaranteed a that is “definitely achievable” but that “(T)he
complete phasing out of coal from its energy obvious place to start is scaling up rooftop solar
mix, it is expected that coal will account for just and wind energy, which could help Japan create
19% of electricity produced by the end of the a far more secure and sustainable energy system
decade. by 2035.”
Hirata went on to add that “ending interna- How Japanese industry responds to its gov-
tional fossil fuel finance is also a big step” before ernment essentially acquiescing to foreign pres-
asking that as “Japan is subsidising gas explora- sure will play out in the days and weeks ahead.
tion (overseas)... can they stop everything by (the Jones did, however, add that in the wider East
end of) 2022?” Asian region, Japan along with Australia could
Dave Jones of Ember, an independent energy now take the lead in fighting climate change,
think-tank, was more optimistic, tweeting: saying that “renewed Japanese ambition and the
“The end of unabated coal power and gas power new (Labor led) government in Australia should
is now coming into sight” in response to the help supercharge Asia’s electricity transition, and
announcement. will surely force a rethink in Korea to step up.”™
Sources in Berlin, however, indicate that prior

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