Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced Thursday that Japan will target a 46% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 from 2013 levels, a sharp upgrade from the 26% cut that the world’s fifth-biggest emitter had pledged in July 2015.
"In line with 2050 goals, we aim for a 46% cut by fiscal 2030 as an ambitious target. We will continue to strive toward the higher goal of 50%," Suga said at a government meeting. In October, he pledged Japan would reach carbon neutrality by 2050.
Suga’s announcement comes shortly before a key two-day virtual climate summit hosted by U.S. President Joe Biden kicks off Thursday Washington time. Biden is expected to pledge an ambitious 2030 target in hopes of having the leaders of dozens of invited countries, including China's Xi Jinping and Russia's Vladimir Putin, do the same.