Japan’s Commitment to Leading Decarbonization Efforts in Asia

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan, in a recent multinational forum in Tokyo, affirmed Japan’s commitment to spearheading the drive towards a carbon-free Asia. In his address, Kishida emphasized the creation of a vast “decarbonization market” in Asia, which would attract global investments and address the region’s shared challenge of reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

The inaugural summit of the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) concluded with a joint statement. It highlighted the leaders’ agreement to pursue diverse and practical decarbonization pathways, acknowledging the unique circumstances and starting points of each participating country.

Kishida announced the need for an estimated 4 quadrillion yen ($28 trillion) to achieve decarbonization in Asia. He also promised the establishment of a new organization dedicated to assisting AZEC members in implementing effective policies for achieving carbon neutrality.

The summit saw participation from Japan, nine countries from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) excluding Myanmar, and Australia. The statement from the summit underlined a collective effort towards balancing economic growth and energy security with the imperative to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

This meeting came on the heels of a special summit commemorating 50 years of Japan-ASEAN relations. ASEAN’s members include Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Notably, Myanmar, currently under military rule following the February 2021 coup, was excluded from both the Japan-ASEAN summit and is not a member of the AZEC.