Briefing: Japan’s Toxic Energy Strategy for Asia
This briefing explains how Japan’s “Green Transformation (GX)” policy is a greenwashing exercise designed to benefit corporate interests and prolong the use of fossil fuels when renewable energy solutions are reliable, available, cleaner, and cheaper.
Oil Change International
April 2023
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Translations: Japanese
Japan’s Toxic Energy Strategy for Asia: Japan’s so-called “Green Transformation” is soaked in fossil fuels
This briefing explains how Japan’s new “Green Transformation (GX)” policy, approved by its Cabinet in February 2023, is a greenwashing exercise designed to benefit corporate interests and prolong the use of fossil fuels at a time when renewable energy solutions are reliable, available, cleaner, and cheaper.
The strategy under GX relies heavily on LNG; ammonia co-firing; fossil hydrogen; and carbon capture, utilization and storage. These technologies would prolong the lifespan of fossil fuels at a time when countries need to phase them out. Japan is using its diplomatic might to promote the GX strategy at the G7 and within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The policy also aims to deploy these technologies across Asia under the guise of “decarbonization.”
However, communities and groups across Asia, including Bangladesh, Indonesia, and the Philippines, are rejecting Japan’s dirty energy strategy and are mobilizing to stop Japan from derailing the energy transition.
Japan needs to stop investing precious resources in volatile, dirty energy and unproven technologies. As Japan prepares to host the G7 summit in May 2023, it will face increasing pressure until it places clean energy and climate security above Japanese corporate interests.