Suga To Unveil Plan For Curbing Emissions
Japan's Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide appears set to unveil the government's greenhouse gas reduction target for 2030 at an online climate change summit organized by the United States.
Hosted by US President Joe Biden, the two-day meeting, which starts on Thursday, is expected to bring together world leaders including Chinese President Xi Jinping.
In the meeting, Suga will likely explain that Japan will aim to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, and that the country will work toward carbon neutrality.
Suga has reportedly revealed his resolve to seize the upcoming summit as an opportunity to announce that the nation's emission cut goal will be raised from the present 26 percent from fiscal 2013 levels.
Some members of the government say Japan needs to set ambitious targets in order to be a major contributor to the global movement, and that it should aim to reduce emissions by about 45 percent from fiscal 2013 levels.
The government is expected to make its final decision after seeing which way the United States and others lean at the summit as the target will impact a wide range of industries over the long term.