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world news Diamars 27 OctOber 2020

Post-Abe agenda: Suga says Japan to go carbon-free by 2050

(AP) — Japan will achieve profile, hardworking style.
zero carbon emissions
by 2050, Prime Minister
Yoshihide Suga declared He has ordered his Cabinet
Monday, outlining an to step up implementation of
ambitious agenda as the pet projects such as lowering
country struggles to bal- cellphone rates and acceler-
ance economic and pan- ating use of online govern-
demic concerns. ment, business and medical
services.
The policy speech at the out- “I will break administrative
set of the parliamentary ses- divisions, vested interests and
sion was Suga’s first since he bad precedents to push for
took office on Sept. 16 after reforms,” Suga said.
his boss Shinzo Abe resigned
over health reasons. It reflects But he also said Japanese
Suga's pragmatic approach to should try to help themselves
getting things done, though before looking to the gov-
it's unclear he will have the ernment for assistance, in
political heft needed to over- line with what experts say is
come vested interests in a conservative stance that is
weaning this resource-scarce unsympathetic to the disad-
nation from its reliance on vantaged.
imports of oil and gas.
Suga is best known for his
Suga just returned from a and gas. “The secretary-general now —Japan, meanwhile, seeks to effectiveness in corralling
trip last week to Vietnam and looks forward to the concrete have stable ties and cooperate powerful bureaucrats to force
Indonesia, where he pushed Progress toward reducing policy measures that will be with China. through Abe’s policies.
ahead with Abe's efforts to reliance on fossil fuels has proposed and implemented —Japan is open to meeting
build closer ties and promote been hindered due to the to reach this goal, that can with North Korean leader His hardline approach has
a regional vision for counter- prolonged closures of most help other countries define Kim Jong Un to resolve con- sometimes drawn criticism.
ing growing Chinese influ- of Japan’s nuclear plants af- their own strategies,” the flicts over abductions of Japa- Earlier this month, he was
ence. ter the meltdown of the Fu- statement said. nese citizens years ago and accused of seeking to muzzle
kushima Dai-Ichi plant due wartime compensation and dissent by choosing not to
Now out of Abe’s shadow, to the 2011 earthquake and Environmental groups also to normalize diplomacy with appoint six professors out of a
back home Suga has been tsunami in the northeastern welcomed the announce- Pyongyang. slate of 105 to the state-fund-
pumping out consumer- Tohoku region. ment. “Carbon neutrality ed Science Council of Japan.
friendly policies. He has is no longer a lofty, faraway —South Korea is “an ex-
earned a reputation as a cost Energy experts are now dis- dream, but a necessary com- tremely important neigh- The flap triggered massive
cutter. cussing revisions to Japan’s mitment," in line with in- bor," but it should drop its protests from academics and
He said he intends to make basic energy plan for 2030 ternational climate change demands for compensation took the public support rat-
a sustainable economy a pil- and 2050. The 2050 emis- agreements, Jennifer Mor- over Korean wartime forced ing for his Cabinet down
lar of his growth strategy and sions-free target would re- gan, executive director of laborers to restore “healthy” about 10 points to just above
“put maximum effort into quire drastic changes and Greenpeace International, bilateral relations. 50%.
achieving a green society.” likely prompt calls for more said in a statement. Since taking office Suga has Opposition lawmakers are
That includes achieving a nuclear plant restarts. In the short term, Japan's crafted a populist and prag- expected to raise the issue
carbon-free society by 2050. top priority is to curb the matic image, winning pub- during the 41-day session
About 40% of Japan's carbon pandemic while reviving the lic support for his relatively through Dec. 5.
The European Union and emissions come from power economy, Suga said. modest background and low-
Britain have already set simi- companies, and they must
lar targets for net-zero green- use more renewable sources Turning to Japan’s big-
house gas emissions, and of energy while stepping up gest long-term problem, a
China recently announced it development of technologies low birthrate and shrinking
would become carbon-free using hydrogen, ammonia population, Suga reiterated a
by 2060. Japan previously and other carbon-free re- pledge to provide insurance
targeted a 80% reduction by sources, experts say. coverage for infertility treat-
2050. ments. He also said he would
Suga said he will speed up promote paternity leaves for
Suga portrayed the need to research and development of working fathers to ease the
shift away from fossil fuels key technologies such as next burden of child-rearing and
to counter climate change as generation solar batteries and home-making on working
an opportunity rather than a carbon recycling. He also mothers. He promised more
burden. promised to reduce Japan's help for single-parent house-
reliance on coal-fired energy holds, more than
“Global warming measures by promoting conservation
are no longer obstacles for and maximizing renewables, half of which are living in
economic growth, but would while promoting nuclear en- poverty.
lead to industrial and socio- ergy. Among other highlights,
economic reforms and a Suga said:
major growth," he said. “We U.N. Secretary-General An- —The Japan-U.S. alliance,
need to change our mindset.” tónio Guterres called Japan's a cornerstone of Japanese
announcement that it will diplomacy and security, is
Japan's current energy plan, achieve net zero emissions key to achieving a “Free and
set in 2018, calls for 22-24% by 2050 "a very significant Open Indo-Pacific" region-
of its energy to come from positive development,” his al economic and security
renewables, 20-22% from spokesman, Stephane Dujar- framework to counter Chi-
nuclear power and 56% from ric, said in a statement. na's sway.
fossil fuels such as oil, coal