"TOKYO -- Japan's prime minister-elect said on Monday he will forge ahead with a tough 25 percent cut in emissions by 2020, despite growing opposition from industry which says the target will hurt the world's No. 2 economy.

But Yukio Hatoyama added that the target, more ambitious than the outgoing government's, was premised on a deal on ambitious goals being agreed by major nations. ...

The Democratic Party has said the tough 2020 target from 1990 levels is needed for Japan to play a bigger role in U.N.-backed climate talks in Copenhagen in December."

Chisa Fujioka reports for Reuters September 8, 2009. [2]

See Also:

"Japanese Carbon Cut May Change UN Climate Poker" (AFP) [3]

"Japan’s Next Premier Vows to Cut Emissions Sharply" (New York Times) [4]