Japan unveils green growth plan

People wearing face masks to help curb the spread of the coronavirus walk across a traffic intersection in Ginza shopping district in Tokyo, Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020. (AP)

• PM Yoshihide Suga announced the new 2050 goal in November, significantly moving up Japan’s timeline for carbon-neutrality

TOKYO: Japan on Friday unveiled plans to boost renewable energy, phase out gasoline-powered cars and reduce battery costs as part of a bid to reach an ambitious 2050 carbon-neutral goal.
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced the new 2050 goal in November, significantly moving up Japan’s timeline for carbon-neutrality.
On Friday, his government laid out for the first time what meeting that target will involve.
“The government’s actions on the environment reflect our belief that a significant change of mindset is required and that these are not constraints for growth, rather they are drivers of growth,” top government spokesman Katsunobu Kato told a regular briefing.