Fridays For Future Tokyo demands 81% emissions cut by Japan in climate protest

Amid the growing climate emergency, Fridays For Future Tokyo and youth volunteers are organising a demonstration to demand stronger measures to meet the 1.5-degree Celsius target. The group is calling on the Japanese government to make ambitious commitments, including cutting greenhouse gas emissions by at least 81% by 2035. The rally will take place in front of the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry building on tomorrow on December 3, from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m.

With record-breaking heatwaves and exacerbated storms across Japan, Fridays For Future Tokyo argues that the government’s current greenhouse gas reduction goal of 60% by 2035 (compared to 2013 levels) falls significantly short of the reductions needed to achieve the 1.5 degrees target agreed upon in the Paris Agreement. Instead, they are pushing for an 81% reduction, which aligns with scenarios from the Climate Action Tracker and considers the urgent findings of the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report.

Fridays For Future Tokyo also demands a shift in the country’s energy policy, highlighting the need for renewable energy to become the primary power source. Currently, fossil fuels account for approximately two-thirds of Japan’s energy mix. The group stresses that transitioning to renewable energy would not only reduce emissions but also improve Japan’s energy self-sufficiency, a critical factor given the high annual cost of fossil fuel imports, which reach approximately 30 trillion yen.

Furthermore, the group is advocating for a fair and transparent deliberation process that includes voices from younger generations. Concerns have been raised by council members over the exclusion of key opinions in meetings held by the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry and the Ministry of the Environment. Fridays For Future Tokyo is calling for the government to engage more thoroughly with youth perspectives and ensure that their voices are reflected in climate policy discussions.

A 17-year-old organiser from Fridays For Future Tokyo, having witnessed coral bleaching and rising sea levels firsthand, stated, “Japan needs to set an ambitious target that leaves no one behind. “This is not just about economics. Climate change is a humanitarian crisis affecting people’s lives.”

Fridays For Future Tokyo organisers are inviting citizens to join them with banners and placards, in a peaceful demonstration to urge the government to take stronger, swifter action against climate change.