Photo/Illutration Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi responds to a question during an interview with The Asahi Shimbun. (Kazuo Yamamoto)

Japan is moving to halt its long-criticized state assistance for exports of coal-fired thermal power plant technology, according to Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi.

In an exclusive with The Asahi Shimbun, Koizumi also said his ministry would play a more central role during the review process for the nation’s basic energy plan.

Japan has been under international fire from environmentalists over its support for a type of technology that is considered one of the worst causes of global warming.

Koizumi pointed to the nation’s infrastructure export strategy outline that was approved July 9.

It included wording that the government would put in place stricter conditions for providing financial support to thermal power plant technology exports and that “in principle such support would not be conducted.”

“The export strategy lays out the areas where greater efforts will be made, but the main point is that coal is the only area that was included with wording saying such exports would not be promoted,” Koizumi said.

He indicated that it was his belief that no new coal-fired thermal plant technology export projects would receive financial backing.

The basic energy plan has until now been compiled under the leadership of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, which also looked at measures to be taken to deal with climate change.

But Koizumi said that his ministry would work jointly with the economy ministry in reviewing the basic energy plan scheduled for next year 

“Climate change and energy policy are inseparable, so our ministry will work together on the review,” Koizumi said. “I believe discussions will be held in a manner that is clearly different from the past.”

In the interview, Koizumi also stressed the importance of lessening the nation's dependence on fossil fuels such as petroleum and coal and using mainly renewable energy sources like solar and wind power.

He added that his ministry would work to raise the ratio contributed by renewable energy sources to the overall power generation picture. Under the current plan, renewable energy would account for between 22 and 24 percent of all power generation in 2030.

“Left as is, renewable energy will not be a main source of power generation,” Koizumi said. “The Environment Ministry will work to push up demand for such energy.”

But he stopped short of giving a new figure for renewable energy on grounds it was the jurisdiction of the economy ministry.

(This article was written by Senior Staff Writer Toru Ishii and Mutsumi Mitobe.)

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