KARUIZAWA (Nagano Pref.): Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Friday he plans to establish a new ministerial post to boost decarbonization.

Kishida made the remark in a speech at a summer forum held by the Japan Business Federation, better known as Keidanren, in the central Japan resort town of Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture.

“I will newly appoint a green transformation minister,” he said. “I want (Keidanren) to take steps toward forming an alliance with the government.”

Kishida became the first prime minister to join the annual forum since 2014, when his slain predecessor Shinzo Abe took part, according to the organizer.

Meanwhile, Masakazu Tokura, chairman of the country’s biggest business lobby, handed Kishida policy proposals.

On the economic front, Keidanren urged the government to create a roadmap to realize a carbon-neutral society in 2050, promote green transformation, steadily beef up nuclear power generation and increase 10-fold the number of startups in five years as Kishida has pledged.

In view of the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, the group also requested that Japan strengthen ties with like-minded countries and make diplomatic policy energy security-oriented. 

At a press conference, Tokura said, “Our long-held values, beliefs and behavioral patterns are faced with big challenges.”

JIJI Press