The streets of Tokyo will host Japan's first ever race event in the all-electric Formula E world championship in March next year, the metropolitan government said Wednesday.
The decision comes as the city looks to step up its zero-emissions strategy, which aims to reduce carbon dioxide emissions to net zero by 2050.
The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship race is set for March 30 as part of the event's 10th season, and 22 drivers from 11 teams will race the Gen3 electric race car on roads around the Tokyo Big Sight convention center on the Tokyo Bay waterfront, the organizer said.
It will also be the first time Tokyo holds a world championship motorsport event approved by the International Automobile Federation, the governing body which also oversees the Formula One World Championship, according to the organizer.
The Formula E Championship began in 2014 with the aim of accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles to counteract climate change.
The cars' quiet engines mean they are less noisy than conventional racing vehicles when racing on city streets, and major cities including London and Sao Paulo have hosted federation events.
Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike welcomed the event as an opportunity that will "not only add momentum to the spread of zero-emission vehicles but will also provide a wonderful opportunity to enhance Tokyo's international presence."