TOKYO (AFP) — Japan's capital Tokyo is preparing to force industry to make big cuts in greenhouse gases, an official said Tuesday, taking the lead in a country struggling to meet its Kyoto Protocol obligations.
Tokyo's outspoken governor, Shintaro Ishihara, decided to go it alone and create Japan's first emissions cap system, an idea that has met resistance among some in industry and the central government.
"Tokyo will target reducing greenhouse gas emission by a total of 25 percent by 2020 from the 2000 level," Katsunori Yano, an official at Tokyo's environment bureau, told AFP.
Ishihara's administration on Tuesday informed the Tokyo assembly, which is dominated by the governor's supporters, about its plan.
"The proposal will be submitted to the assembly on June 10, the day the next session opens," Yano said.
Under a "cap-and-trade" system starting in 2010, the Tokyo government would require major businesses to reduce carbon emissions while creating an economic incentive by allowing the trade of emissions credits, Yano said.
The move by Tokyo -- which with 13 million people is the world's largest city -- is reminiscent of action taken by the state of California, which launched climate measures despite resistance from President George W. Bush.
Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda has vowed to push forward action on global warming at the July 7-9 summit of the Group of Eight rich nations.
Fukuda has hinted he wants to set up a national cap-and-trade system to meet Japan's obligations under the Kyoto Protocol to cut emissions by six percent by 2012 from the 1990 level.
But some business leaders and bureaucrats have rejected a cap-and-trade system, saying that Japan should instead champion its "sectoral" approach of improving efficiency in each industry sector.
Japan is far behind in meeting its Kyoto obligations as its economy steadily recovers from recession in the 1990s. It has argued that the 1990 base year set under Kyoto was biased in favour of the European Union.
Ishihara, an acclaimed novelist turned politician, is known for his blunt nationalistic remarks including denunciations of other Asian nations.
But he is also known for environmental consciousness and imposed a total ban on polluting diesel vehicles inside Tokyo.
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