Japan’s environment minister has announced his government is preparing to introduce a carbon tax in order to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
Minister Tsuyoshi Yamaguchi says he hopes this will cause a gradual phase out of coal plans over the next two decades, while developing new technologies to reduce, capture and utilise carbon.
Environmental groups and critics are urging Japan to focus more on promoting renewable energy, saying current policies will just prolong use of coal.
Japan hopes this new policy will lead to a zero-emissions push in Asia.