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Japan hopes to lead Asian zero-emissions push: minister

52 Comments
By MARI YAMAGUCHI

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Whatever happened to Koizumi Jr?

Forced leave from the ministry.

He’ll be back with the next PM.

-2 ( +5 / -7 )

Abysmal results with hydrogen car development, lagging massively with BEVs and the charging infrastructure, no new nuclear power plants... No wonder they are moving the goalpost by comparing against 2013 when Japan shut down all nuclear reactors.

-2 ( +9 / -11 )

"we will also decimate the countryside and farmland in order to install solar panels" if Chiba is anything to go by.

4 ( +14 / -10 )

Yamaguchi did not provide any specific details 

But he assured the public that the LDP is sincere in its hope for cleaner energy and will continue to urge industries to cooperate. He said the government is seriously considering setting up a preliminary study group with an eye toward broader discussions with experts in the foreseeable future.

6 ( +10 / -4 )

if we can only get these "environmental groups and critics" to abandon their own dependency and focus on changing their own lifestyle to fit their demands, then we are already half way there.

-7 ( +5 / -12 )

What an absolutely bad joke. He doesn’t seem to know that the public are beyond skeptical about these plans. The LDP will say unicorn glitter then deliver…….nothing. Private citizens will on their own as usual deliver more.

8 ( +14 / -6 )

Japan is opening a coal fired plant in Chiba, all the pollution will engulf Tokyo

3 ( +11 / -8 )

Japan is opening a coal fired plant in Chiba, all the pollution will engulf Tokyo

Check who asking for coal recently, so zero carbon?

https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/indonesias-coal-export-ban-will-keep-upward-pressure-on-prices-japan-utility-lobby/

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Jgov can't even resolve the Fukushima water issue after 10 years, what makes them think they can solve this???? Pure show.

4 ( +12 / -8 )

Hope floats?

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Japan will gradually phase out coal plants

Yes, because in the middle of an emergency/crisis the best thing is to do everything gradually.

-2 ( +7 / -9 )

More assurances,debates,discussions and urges blah blah from the inept J government.

LDP what a joke!

3 ( +11 / -8 )

Another LDP fossil talking about phasing out fossil fuels. They would do better to phase themselves out! Just looking at all the heating, humidifying gadgets and other devices consuming electricity in his office alone indicates he is completely insensitive or clueless as to what he is there to do. Pure lip service with no achievable goals or time sensitive deadlines to which he is accountable. Another cushy job with not much to do except enjoy your tenure in that privileged position. Politicians are simply the worst kinds of people and yet we allow them to rule over us? Who are the real mugs here? Yes you guessed it. We are!

6 ( +13 / -7 )

@Dukeleto

You are spot on!!!

1 ( +6 / -5 )

So, "dragging their feet" and "cannot give details" but confident they can lead the way. Classic Japan!

It always amazes me how Japanese politicians "hoping" to do something is considered news.

8 ( +12 / -4 )

Thorium reactors might be Japan's cleanest and most realistic alternative.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

All going to be too late to reverse the damage done. Japan really has shown itself to be incapable of doing anything right. I guess the faxes will be flying in Nagatacho till 2050 asking where did we go wrong?

4 ( +8 / -4 )

Another LDP frontman with no real plan. Speaking of emissions, start with the simple, portable room humidifier the photographer chose to feature with the minster ‘explaining’ his plans:

“We cannot give details about what we will do* with coal fired plants by 2030, but we will do our best to minimize emissions*,” Tsuyoshi Yamaguchi said. 

He has law degrees and lived abroad but probably cannot answer simple questions about efficacy, carbon footprint, etc of the humidifier in relation to square footage the room he occupies.

“Japanese Environment Minister Tsuyoshi Yamaguchi speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Tokyo on Tuesday.  Photo: AP/Eugene Hoshiko”

3 ( +8 / -5 )

Leading all the lemmings over the economic edge leads only to being first splashing on the ground. And it’s not guaranteed that all other lemmings will still follow when seeing what happened to the former leading first one.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

Japanese politicians talk the talk and wear the suits and have people shout their names but they don’t pass legislation which is what their jobs are all about!

When my local power company invests in wind power generation abroad instead of in Japan then that is a clear sign that the environment for this investment is not profitable in Japan.

Japanese politicians?

Lazy and feckless.

6 ( +10 / -4 )

Japan last year emitted about 1.15 billion tons of greenhouse gas, down 5.1% from the previous year and 18.4% below the 2013 level, according to the latest government data.

Yeah, we know how credible government data is. Who in their right senses will believe these numbers without a bag of salt.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

Massively behind other G7 nations in anything important or useful

5 ( +11 / -6 )

Maybe the JGov knows all this SDG/Agenda 2030 stuff is horse manure but is just playing the game by spouting platitudes, all the while doing other things. Not that they're averse to wasting enormous amounts of money by throwing it at subsidy farmers, but that's another issue...

0 ( +6 / -6 )

Understood @zichi 9:20am many here have dry skin in winter and these room humidifiers may provide some relief and/or benefits, particularly to those with health issues such as respiratory ailments. They only account for about .1% of overall household energy use, according the U.S. EPA studies (Not sure if Japan publishes such information).

The point of the @9:12am post is this career politician & replacement for “climate a change is not a sexy-time” Koizumi, Jr. probably has little-to-no reality-based, daily consumer experiences as the average citizen, much-less any significant knowledge of the myriad of sciences involved with the ministry he has been appointed to preside over.

*- @zichi 9:20am: “we have to use a humidifier because my wife gets skin problems from the dry heat. They use a tiny amount of electricity. But there again I have not owned a car for more than 40 years.” -*

From the article: “The environment minister, a former diplomat who earned a doctoral degree in politics at Johns Hopkins University, said he is considering launching a framework for talks with 17 other nations on a joint carbon crediting mechanism to eventually cut emissions to zero, starting with phasing out coal-fired power plants.” -

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

Its ridiculous to make leadership announcements about taking 2 decades to stop carbon emissions.

Absolutely ridiculous !

Look at all the combustion vehicles Japan is producing.

And Singapore is the leading Asia country in green technologies.

Don't forget that Russia is both Asia and Europe either.

When it comes to science and technologies iam sorry to say Japan is not a leader.

Trying not to mention China.

-1 ( +7 / -8 )

Appears his first smart move was to update the Ministry’s unofficial yet much-publicized gaffe/motto of his predecessor Koizumi’s “Climate change is not sexy” to Yamaguchi’s “Environmental issue are borderless”.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

Zichi

There's a very common Japanese skin problem that's easily cured with Vaseline.

Iam being sincere.

-9 ( +0 / -9 )

Yet, Yamaguchi may have been chosen for this post @Dave 10:58am exactly for those reasons:

@Dave 10:58am: “Doesn't mean a thing as long as China and India never get on board.”

Yamaguchi served between 1989 - 1995 he held three positions as First Secretary—in the Embassies of Japan in China, Pakistan, and the UK, respectively. In October 1995, he resigned from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

The technology is already there it's just too expensive. Japan famously excels at incremental innovation, so whilst I doubt we will see any revolutionary tech come out of Japan, I can certainly imagine Japan making the tech cheaper, and more efficient.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Japan endeavors to limit coal while China continues to build coal fired plants and dump massive carbon into the atmosphere!

1 ( +4 / -3 )

“We cannot give details about what we will do with coal fired plants by 2030, but we will do our best to minimize emissions,” Yamaguchi said.

Why can you not give details?

What are you not saying?

-3 ( +4 / -7 )

JT posters know what's best for Japan.

-10 ( +2 / -12 )

I know the initial costs are high, but is there any other reason that Japan is not exploiting its geothermal energy?

I admit I don't know much about it, but it would appear to the lay observer that this country is (literally, in some cases) bursting with it.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Another fossil.

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

Yet, @Kyowaheiwadayone 11:07am Vaseline is petroleum-derived and the distillation requires boiling temperatures over 300°C. The process is detrimental and the product is not biodegradable, thus more harmful to the environment. Is there a more natural alternative or is the humidifier in Minister Yamaguchi’s office the best solution for Japan’s afflicted ?

*- @Kyo wa heiwa dayo ne 11:07am: Zichi, There's a very common Japanese skin problem that's easily cured with Vaseline. Iam being sincere.”*

I too, am being sincere.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Japan hopes to lead a zero-emissions push...

And there you have it. The government's only interest is in the leading part, as long as it doesn't involve actually doing. The world knows it is reluctant, lagging, dragging its feet. Look at how quickly the push for renewables was squashed when it looked like industry and consumers were rushing to adopt solar. What about expanding wind, wave, geothermal? What about pushing initiatives like green roofs, or supporting the development of next generation solar, so that windows and walls can cheaply be used to power buildings at source? What about legislating to force companies to cut down on wasteful unneccessary lighting? Then you can think about leading the world (note: it'll take a while to catch up, so best keep schtum about your progress for the moment).

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

Just switch all the nuclear back on and we are halfway there.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

They are finally talking about capturing carbon and removing it from the atmosphere, as well as going carbon neutral. I wonder how bad things are going to get, before they start getting better.......if they ever do start getting better.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Leading from the back ... ;)

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

Massively behind other G7 nations in anything important or useful

Japan's per capita CO2 emissions are similar to most European countries, and far lower than the USA, Australia, and Canada.

https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/EN.ATM.CO2E.PC?most_recent_value_desc=true

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Go for it! Set a good example for us all.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

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