Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, at the United Nations Summit on Climate Change held Sept. 22, stated Japan's pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) 25 percent from 1990 levels by 2020, which is premised on "all the major economies" agreeing on ambitious targets.

Other countries applauded the Hatoyama Initiative, with some calling on Japan to take the lead in making drastic cuts irrespective of actions by other major emitting countries.

In this country, various opinions have been expressed over this issue. Whereas environment-related nongovernmental organizations support Hatoyama's initiative, many elements in the industrial circles who are primarily critical of the cap formulas set under the Kyoto Protocol oppose his plan as technically infeasible.