Yuka Obayashi and Aaron Sheldrick

TOKYO, Reuters – At the U.N. Climate talks in Glasgow more than 20 countries reached an agreement to eliminate coal power. Japan was not included. This is a significant “leap forward” for a nation that led efforts to implement the Kyoto Protocol to lower greenhouse gas emissions.

This pact was one of many pledges at the COP26 summit, which took place last week. Officials said Japan, which is the third largest importer of dirty fossil fuels in the world, refused to sign the pact because it wanted to protect its power generation options.

Critics described this as being short-sighted. Even though Fumio, the new prime minister, agreed to increase other environmental actions,

Eric Christian Pedersen from Nordea Asset Management, the head of responsible investment, stated that “despite Prime Minister Kishida promising to increase funding for climate finance,”

This criticism highlights Japan’s shift in circumstances. Japan was a leader in climate change initiatives during the 1990s Kyoto Protocol period, but it is now burning more coal and other fossilfuels following the Fukushima nuclear disaster that left many of its reactors unused.

GRAPHIC: Japan’s electricity mix by source since 1985 https://graphics.reuters.com/JAPAN-POLITICS/jnpweyllqpw/chart.png

Kiran Aziz (head of responsible investments, KLP), Norway’s largest pension funds, stated that Japan is not ready to phase out coal.

China is the biggest contributor to climate-change-fuelling gasses in the world. President Xi Jinping didn’t attend the conference. According to the country, it plans to reduce its coal-based electricity consumption by 1.8 percent in five years.

Japan has committed billions of dollars to assist vulnerable countries as well as support the building of infrastructure in Asia that will allow for cleaner-burning fuels. The country has increased renewables and decreased coal consumption targets.

NoboruTakemoto, a deputy director in the ministry of industry, stated to Reuters that Japan has a limited supply of resources and it is surrounded on all sides by water. “There is not one perfect source for energy in Japan.” Japan rejects the “statement” regarding coal.

Last year, the ministry stated that it will accelerate coal-fired plant shutdowns by 2030. Later, they will set minimum efficiency standards for companies and require them to provide annual updates about phase-outs.

However, companies resist such plans according to a top executive of a Japanese generator.

Executive said that the delay and drag out of this project was due to companies claiming these units are still functional and cheaper. He also suggested that leadership is necessary.

A Reuters survey revealed that Japanese companies with old coal power units (Hokuriku Electric Power and Hokkaido Electric Power) have yet to decide when they will shut them down.

According to a spokesperson, Hokuriku Electric will shut down one 250-megawatt coal plant in 2024.

According to the spokesperson, “Our thermal power plants that are coal-fired play an important part in stabilizing electricity supplies.”

Hokkaido Electric has not planned to close its two coal plants in 2019. The other five companies that were surveyed did not have any firm plans. Some companies are considering using ammonia as a fuel to mix with coal, and others to maintain their operations more environmentally friendly.

“For pro-coal corporate Japan, what’s more important is business, not the planet,” said Mutsuyoshi Nishimura, a former senior Japanese government official and chief climate change negotiator. “It’s sad to see there is no vision for a better, more sustainable and more competitive Japan.”