Ahead of AZEC Summit, Civil Society Groups Warn Japan Is Setting a Fossil Fuel Trap for Asia

MANILA, PHILIPPINES – More than 30 civil society organisations today urged Japan to stop using its  Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) and USD 10 billion POWERR Asia initiatives to entrench dependence on imported oil and gas in Asia, calling them a “fossil fuel trap.” The joint statement was issued ahead of the 4th AZEC Summit in Manila on November 17, which Japan and the Philippines will co-chair.

The groups warned that Japan’s initiatives promote LNG, crude oil, and other fossil-fuel technologies that undermine Asian countries’ economic security and serve Japanese corporations’ commercial interests, even as renewable energy becomes cheaper.

“While Japanese corporations and financial institutions benefit from fossil fuel investments, infrastructure, long-term contracts and energy trading, Asian countries and communities are left with debt, stranded assets, pollution, environmental destruction and worsening climate impacts,” the groups said. “[…] Every fossil fuel project backed by Japan is another down payment on the next climate disaster in Asia. This is not the energy security Asia needs.”

The statement calls on Japan to end public and private financing for overseas fossil fuel projects and prioritize accessible, affordable, and reliable renewable energy, including solar and wind, alongside energy storage and energy efficiency.

“Asia’s prosperous future must not be sacrificed for Japan’s short-term gains. Japan must stop financing the fossil fuel trap and support a just, renewable energy transition for all,” the groups said.

NOTES TO EDITOR: 

• Read the attached full statement and signatory list here.
• Read our briefer on AZEC and POWERR Asia here.
• Japan is the world’s largest provider of international public finance for fossil fuels, providing USD 4.1 billion annually for overseas gas, oil, and coal projects between 2023 and 2025 – more than any other G20 country. Read more here. 
• In addition to the statement, civil society organizations in the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Australia, and Japan are organizing actions to urge Japan to stop fossil fuel lock-in in Asia.
• Photos from the actions will be uploaded to this link by 17 November 2026.  

QUOTES: 

Hozue Hatae, Campaigner for Friends of the Earth Japan: Even as people worldwide suffer from disasters exacerbated by the climate crisis, and as the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz exposes the stark vulnerability of relying on fossil fuels, Japan continues to push policies that deepen fossil fuel dependence instead of ending it. Pushing these policies not only at home but across Asia—under the pretext of contributing to decarbonization and energy security—is profoundly irresponsible and shameful. Japan must immediately halt its fossil-fuel-dependent policies that prioritize corporate interests, and instead pivot toward genuine climate solutions and a just energy transition that puts people and local communities first.

Hikmat Soeriatanuwijaya, Senior Partnership and Outreach Officer, Oil Change International: You cannot solve a crisis caused by fossil fuels with more fossil fuels. Southeast Asian governments will sit across from Japan at this summit and be offered more gas and more oil. Our region has already shown it is ready for a renewable future, and has already set that course. Our governments must not let Japan derail it.