TOKYO: The Japanese government is ready to work with the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden in tacking climate change, aiming to promote measures against global warming as one of key themes for its diplomacy with Washington.

Hours after he took office Wednesday, Biden moved to reinstate the United States into the Paris climate agreement. His administration is expected to set a goal of reducing the country’s greenhouse gas emissions effectively to zero by 2050.

Japan last year announced a goal of reducing its emissions effectively to zero by 2050.

“Biden and Japan share a goal of achieving zero emissions by 2050,” Japanese Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said. “We’ll promote talks on Japan-U.S. cooperation,” he added.

In his telephone talks with Biden in November, Japanese Prime Minister SUGA Yoshihide affirmed bilateral cooperation in tackling global warming.

“It may be the first time for a Japanese prime minister to include climate change in key themes for diplomacy with the United States,” a senior Environment Ministry official said.

Biden has shown his intention to apply a carbon adjustment fee on products imported from countries that fail to reduce emissions.

In his parliamentary policy speech on Monday, Suga said that his government will work on carbon pricing, a scheme that has companies shoulder costs for the fight against climate change depending on the amount of their emissions.

The Japanese government needs to win support from businesses for introducing the scheme. “Momentum for introducing carbon pricing is growing, triggered by the inauguration of the Biden administration,” another Environment Ministry official said.

If a carbon adjustment fee is imposed, some companies may prefer to pay costs under carbon pricing at home, said Yukari Takamura, professor of environment law at the University of Tokyo.

JIJI Press