Climate Change

Kishida Says Japan Will Not Construct New Unabated Coal Power Plants at COP28

AP
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida delivers his speech during a COP28 meeting in Dubai on Friday.

By Hirotaka Kuriyama / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

17:01 JST, December 2, 2023

DUBAI — Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Japan will not build any new coal-fired power plants that do not have greenhouse gas emission reduction measures in place during his speech at the COP28 climate talks in Dubai on Friday.

“Japan will end new construction of domestic unabated coal power plants,” Kishida said during the World Climate Action Summit of the COP28 U.N. climate talks.

Electricity from coal-fired power plants is one of major sources of energy in Japan, accounting for about 30% of the nation’s energy, but they emit large amounts of greenhouse gases. By expressing this plan, the prime minister likely aimed to demonstrate Japan’s determination to achieve the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.

In his speech, the prime minister also endorsed the goal of tripling the world’s renewable energy capacity by 2030. Kishida explained that a summit meeting of the Asian Zero Emission Community, a framework for decarbonizing Asia, will be held within the month, adding that Japan will contribute to the international community through its renewable energy technologies.