COPENHAGEN — The political agreement on climate change formally recognized Saturday has been roundly condemned, but the Japanese government sees it as a diplomatic achievement for including China and the United States, the two largest emitters, and paving the way for a future framework to reduce emissions.
"We had two major goals for this negotiation, which is to create a framework in which the U.S. and China as well as other major emitters participate, and to set up a structure where we can provide financial support to developing countries who are in dire need," Environment Minister Sakihito Ozawa said Saturday. "As far as these two elements are concerned, we've mostly been able to accomplish them."
Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's participation in the process of drawing up the accord Friday with a limited group of nations was also significant because he played an important role in the international community, Ozawa said.