Climate advocacy groups across Asia have called on Japan’s newly-appointed Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and his government to halt investments in fossil fuel projects throughout Asia.
On October 10, members of the Asian Peoples’ Movement on Debt and Development (APMDD) and the “Don’t Gas Asia” campaign protested outside the Japanese Embassy in Pasay City, Manila, holding placards demanding that Japan withdraw support for fossil fuel projects and stop promoting what they refer to as “false solutions” in the region.
This protest coincided with similar demonstrations in Indonesia and Thailand, as activists expressed growing frustration with Japan’s role as the world’s second-largest provider of public finance for fossil fuels.
The groups are urging Japan to shift its investments toward renewable energy projects and support a just transition to clean energy. They warned that continuing to support fossil fuels would exacerbate the global climate crisis.
Lidy Nacpil, coordinator of APMDD, criticized Japan’s government for prioritizing short-term profits over long-term climate solutions.
“At this crucial juncture when we need to act on the climate crisis with urgency, governments like Japan continue to push fossil fuel projects that harm the environment and delay the rapid, just transition we desperately need,” Nacpil said.
Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) is holding Tokyo Green Transformation (GX) Week from October 6-11, during which discussions on expanding the use of fossil fuels are taking place. These activities, which also coincide with the 44th ASEAN Summit in Laos, are seen by climate advocates as Japan’s efforts to prolong the use of fossil fuels under the guise of “decarbonizing Asia.”
A recent report by Zero Carbon Analytics highlighted Japan’s ongoing role in promoting liquefied natural gas (LNG) and other fossil fuel technologies in Asia through its Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) initiative. Of the 158 agreements facilitated by AZEC, 56 are related to fossil fuel technologies like LNG and hydrogen, raising concerns that these initiatives may hinder efforts to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
