TOPICS Greater Greenhouse Gas Cuts Eyed by Chemical, Steel, Other Industries

apanese industries have raised their estimate, the industry sector’s volume of oping energy-saving refrigerators, wash- J voluntarily fixed greenhouse gas emissions is expected to be cut by 8.5% ing machines, lighting equipment and all reduction targets one after another in an in fiscal 2010, but the entire volume is other electric appliances. As Matsushita effort to help fight global warming. The predicted to grow 0.9%-2.1% because of President Otsubo Fumio has put it, combined total of planned additional large emission increases in the office and “businesses neglecting environmental reductions presented to the Ministry of household sectors. Fukuda has instruct- problems will be unable to keep going.” Economy, Trade and Industry by 13 ed a review of the national reduction tar- Corporate efforts for environmental mea- industries, including chemical, steel, get within this fiscal year – ending March sures are becoming the key for Japanese paper and transportation, is about 20 31, 2008 – as Japan is scheduled to host businesses to survive international com- million tons. The industries have raised a summit of eight economic powers at a petition.

their targets following an appeal by a Lake Toya hotel in Hokkaido in Photo: Kyodo News government with a strong sense of cri- 2008, which is expected to focus sis, as mentioned by Prime Minister on global warming and other Fukuda Yasuo. “Under the current situa- environmental issues. tion, it is extremely difficult (for Japan) In a move putting the industry to achieve the target in the Kyoto sector’s new target into practice, Protocol,” Fukuda has said, referring to Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. the U.N. treaty adopted in the ancient has announced a goal to slash Japanese capital in 1997. CO2 emissions from the group’s The Kyoto Protocol obliges Japan to plants throughout the world by curtail the annual volume of emissions of about 300,000 tons in three carbon dioxide (CO2) and other gases by years to fiscal 2009. Toshiba 6% in fiscal 2008-2012 from its fiscal Corp. has also hammered out a Prime Minister Fukuda Yasuo (second from left) addresses a ministerial meeting on measures to 1990 level. But the volume rose 7.8% in program to help households fight global warming. On the extreme left is fiscal 2005. According to a government reduce CO2 emissions by devel- Environment Minister Kamoshita Ichiro. Helping Food Security in China Asahi Breweries Expanding Farm Business

sahi Breweries Ltd has been expand- Beijing Olympics in 2008. On the Asahi shipment of safe milk. A ing agribusiness in Shandong farm, strawberries, asparagus and other The leader of the project is Seto Yuzo, Province, eastern China, helping the crops are being cultivated, employing a former Asahi president now acting as a country secure safe food. The major Japan’s state-of-the-art farming tech- senior adviser to the company. “China is beer brewer plans to produce and sell niques that minimize the use of pesti- a major food importer. In case China milk there to become Japan’s first big cides and chemical fertilizers. The pro- buys up food, Japan will face difficulties business to do so in the country. It is duce from the farm is sold at several procuring its own food. If China increas- also contemplating setting up a training times the prices of other local produce, es quality and production efficiency in facility to foster the next generation of but company officials say the produce is agriculture, it will import less food,” Seto agribusiness leaders. popular among safety-conscious high- says, explaining the objective of the pro- Asahi teamed up with two other major income earners in China. ject. “It will eventually benefit Japan’s Japanese businesses – Itochu Corp. and In the milk project, Asahi plans to food strategy. We are going to demon- Sumitomo Chemical Co. – to set up a introduce high-end dairy techniques, strate a business model to establish food joint venture and opened its farm in attaching an electronic tag on every cow safety in China.” 2006 by leasing 100 hectares of farm- to monitor livestock health, and securing land. The farm is located in a farming routes for refrigerated distribution. The region about an hour’s drive from company hopes to establish itself as a Okabe Hiroshi is a business news editor Qingdao, the site of sailing races for the business reputed for production and at Kyodo News.

4 JAPAN SPOTLIGHT • January / February 2008