Opinion | As China-Japan climate action grows, Tokyo must rethink LNG push in Asia
Japan’s progress in shrinking its domestic carbon footprint is being offset by its aggressive LNG development drive in South and Southeast Asia
Chinese and Japanese officials sat down at a forum in Tokyo recently to hammer out ways to help the planet reduce carbon emissions. This is good news – particularly amid growing geopolitical tensions in the Asia-Pacific.
It brings together the world’s second and third largest economies – China and Japan make up about 20 per cent of the global gross domestic product. This, according to Japan’s environment minister Keiichiro Asao at the forum, gives both countries substantial influence over the global economy, as they play crucial roles in addressing the world’s environmental challenges.
In turn, Zhao Chenxin, vice-chairman of China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NRDC), highlighted the complementary industrial strengths of China and Japan, their large market potential and solid foundation for cooperation when it comes to energy conservation and environmental protection.
China is keen to boost this cooperation with Japan, he said, including in environmental industries, energy-saving equipment and environmental infrastructure, supporting joint demonstration projects and cooperation in third-party markets between organisations and businesses from both countries.
