Across Asia: Japan

'Green tax' proposed

Japan needs a "green tax" on fossil fuels to fight global warming, the country's environment minister said on Wednesday.

Sakihito Ozawa said he believes it is necessary to impose such a tax to provide financial incentives to counter global warming and to "internalize" carbon emissions as a cost in the economy.

The tax, proposed by the Environment Ministry last month, could bring in 2 trillion yen ($23.3 billion) annually and would apply to all fossil fuels, Ozawa said. The idea is being discussed by the Cabinet.

Japan has set an ambitious goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent from 1990 levels by the year 2020 if other developed countries make similar commitments, but has been vague about how it would achieve the target.

(China Daily 12/04/2009 page11)