Japan Opts Not to Sign End of Coal Statement

Japan was among several countries that did not sign a statement pledging to phase out the use of coal power in the fight against global warming.

The reluctance of Japan to stop using coal power may increase pressure on the country.

The statement was signed by 46 countries and regions, including Britain, Germany, France and the European Union at COP26 climate talks in Glasgow, Scotland. In addition to Japan, the United States and China opted not to sign it.

The statement calls for ending coal-fired power generation with no measures in place to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the 2030s for major countries and in the 2040s for others.

In its basic energy policy adopted last month, the Japanese government set the share of coal-fired thermal power at about 20 pct of the country's total electricity generation in fiscal 2030.