April 6, 2022

Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Representatives Kasai Akira on April 5 at a House plenary meeting demanded that the government stop relying on coal-fired power generation and instead pivot to renewable sources of energy.

Kasai made this remark in his question time regarding a government-introduced bill to revise the Energy Conservation Act.

The JCP lawmaker pointed out that the bill is aimed at prolonging coal-fired power generation by such means as defining ammonia and oxygen as “non-fossil fuels” and burning them together with coals to produce energy.

Kasai pointed out that the production process involving ammonia and oxygen emits large amounts of CO2 and that the Glasgow climate pact adopted at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) contains no statement that enables the use of ammonia and oxygen as a measure to cut GHG emissions.

He also pointed out that under the Glasgow agreement, developed countries are required to abolish coal-fired thermal power plants by 2030, but among G7 nations, Japan is the only country that fails to announce a deadline for a complete closure of coal-fired power stations. He added that Japan’s stance to continue relying on coal-fired power generation goes against the world trend.

Furthermore, Kasai pointed out that the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in its report urged world’s governments to do everything they can do immediately to tackle global warming rather than depending on potential future technologies.

Economy and Industry Minister Hagiuda Koichi in reply said that Japan is lacking at present adequate renewable energy sources and that coal-fired power plants are necessary as they play a part in providing a stable energy supply.