Environment Minister Sakihito Ozawa said Sunday that Japan's new goal for cutting greenhouse gas emissions will put the country in a strong position at international negotiations on climate change.
But details of how the government will achieve the ambitious goal of reducing emissions by 25 percent from 1990 levels by 2020 has yet to be crafted within the new government, Ozawa admitted. He said he will take the initiative in the discussions among the relevant ministers while also listening to business leaders who remain critical of the Democratic Party of Japan's pledge.
"I want to show that (working to achieve emission cuts) will not prevent economic growth but will actually promote it," said Ozawa, 55, in a group interview with several media outlets.