INTERVIEW: Japan Environment Minister Hopes to Attend COP29

Tokyo, Oct. 11 (Jiji Press)--New Japanese Environment Minister Keiichiro Asao has expressed his wish to participate in the COP29 U.N. climate conference to be held in Azerbaijan in November.

"If circumstances permit, I'd like to attend" the 29th Conference of the Parties to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, Asao said in an interview Thursday.

He emphasized that it is a "very important task" to promote decarbonization such as by increasing renewable energy sources, showing his intention to support related efforts.

"Climate change is an urgent issue that concerns the existence of humanity," Asao said. "It's necessary for countries around the world to work together under the Paris Agreement, an international framework for climate change measures."

Asao stated that his ministry is holding discussions with the industry ministry on Japan's greenhouse gas reduction target for 2035, which must be presented to the United Nations by next February.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]