Society

Japan minister mum on future coal policy

Dec 12 (NHK) - Japan's environment minister has suggested his country has no plans to change its coal-fired power generation policy soon. Shinjiro Koizumi was speaking at the UN climate change summit in Spain.

Koizumi said, "I am aware of global criticism including on our coal relating policies. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for stopping our addiction to coal. I took this as a message to Japan."

He didn't offer a clue on Japan's future approach to the issue at the COP25 meeting.

Koizumi then said, " I am afraid I cannot share new development on our coal policy today."

He highlighted the steps Japan has made toward combating global warming, including reducing its greenhouse gas emissions for five consecutive years.

But some countries reacted negatively to Koizumi's speech.

Ethiopia's representative said, " It's time to act for climate change. Just take a measure currently, not for the future."

Student's Homemade Bomb Sparks School Lockdown in Sapporo

A suspicious object feared to be explosive was discovered at a high school in Sapporo on the afternoon of November 22nd, causing temporary chaos. The object was found to have been brought to the school by one of its students.

China to resume visa-exemptions for short-term Japanese travelers

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