Coal news and updates

Japan’s ‘green transformation’ would derail the energy transition in Asia

Japanese stopped exporting dirty coal technologies last year following pressure from campaigners, but its new Green Transformation strategy relies on the continued use of fossil fuel-based technologies (Photo credit: John Englart)

We’ve been through this fight before.

Years ago, Japanese officials waltzed into our countries – the Philippines and Indonesia – and cut deals to develop dirty coal power plants that would enrich Japanese corporate interests.

After years of resistance, people’s movements from the Philippines to Bangladesh and Indonesia succeeded in pressuring the Japanese government last year to stop exporting its dirty coal technologies to our vibrant, rich and extremely climate vulnerable countries.

We won. But now Japan is at it again.

After decades of inaction on the climate crisis, the Japanese government led by prime minister Fumio Kishida approved a so-called “Green Transformation” (GX) strategy on 10 February to purportedly support the transition to clean energy.