TOKYO: Japan will play the leading role in decarbonization efforts in Asia, Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio pledged Friday.

The pledge was made at the 13th Asian Business Summit in Tokyo, held by the Japan Business Federation, or Keidanren, and other economic groups in Asia.

Kishida also disclosed a plan to hold in Laos this autumn the second summit of the Asia Zero Emission Community, launched at the initiative of the prime minister last year with the aim of reducing emissions of greenhouse gases from fossil fuels.

He expressed eagerness to “establish a large decarbonization market in Asia and attract investments” through the AZEC framework.

Kishida also vowed efforts to formulate international rules, saying that a framework will be established to make amounts of carbon dioxide emissions clearly visible to anyone.

At Friday’s meeting, a joint statement was adopted to promote decarbonization, expand the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, whose members include Japan, China and South Korea, and strengthen industrial competitiveness.

A copy of the joint statement was handed to Kishida by Keidanren Chairman Masakazu Tokura.

“We hope Asian countries with similar problems regarding decarbonization will share the best solutions,” Tokura told a press conference after the day’s summit.

JIJI Press