TOKYO: Japan's greenhouse gas emissions in fiscal 2018 fell 3.9 percent from the previous year, marking the fifth year in decline, the Environment Ministry said Tuesday.

Domestic emissions stood at 1,240 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalents, hitting the lowest level since the data began in fiscal 1990.

The amount in the latest year, which ended in March 2019, was 11 million tons lower than the previous record low set in fiscal 2009.

The fall in emissions reflect an increase in operating nuclear power reactors and expanded use of renewable energy sources such as solar energy and wind.

The proportion of electricity generated from nuclear energy stood at 6.2 percent of all generated electricity, up 3.1 percentage points. That of renewable energy stood at 16.9 percent, up 0.9 point.

Meanwhile, the proportion of electricity from thermal power plants fell 3.9 points to 77.0 percent.

Also contributing to the decline in the total greenhouse gas emissions is the decreased use of air conditioning due to relatively warm winter.

The government aims to reduce domestic emissions by 26 percent from the fiscal 2013 level by fiscal 2030, in line with the Paris Agreement to fight global warming. The fiscal 2018 emissions were 12.0 percent below the fiscal 2013 level.

JIJI Press