Japanese PM pledges to cut emissions to zero by 2050

Tokyo, Oct 27 : In his first policy speech since assuming power last month, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has pledged to cut greenhouse gas emissions in the country to net zero by 2050.
Addressing the opening of the 41-day extraordinary Diet (Parliament) session on Monday which will run through December 5, Suga said that Japan would now aim to cut greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050, compared to the previous administration’s plans of reducing emissions by 80 per cent by 2050, reports Xinhua news agency.
He said that proactive measures and a change of mindset would be necessary to achieve the goal.
“We need to change our mindset and proactively take measures against global warming that will bring about changes to industrial structures, as well as the economy and society, and lead to major growth,” the Japanese premiere said.
He went on to say this could be achieved by the enhanced use of renewable and nuclear energy.
He however, added that his immediate focus, however, was the Covid-19 pandemic which has severely impacted the nation’s now recession-hit economy which has worsened to levels not seen since before the war.