Opportunities abound for countries like Japan and S'pore: Hatoyama
Kwan Weng Kin, Straits Times 13 Nov 09;
TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama plans to urge the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders in Singapore this weekend to work together to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 25 per cent from 1990 levels by 2020.
It is 'a huge issue' that Apec economies have been charged with, he said yesterday to Tokyo-based Singapore media.
'But first we must cooperate to make Cop15 a success,' he said.
Cop15 refers to the 15th United Nations climate change conference, to be held in Copenhagen next month, which will negotiate accords on greenhouse gas emissions beyond 2012, when current agreements under the Kyoto Protocol expire.
Mr Hatoyama said that though most people think only of the difficulties in achieving the 25 per cent target, business opportunities abound for countries such as Singapore and Japan that have the requisite technology.
'Countries with the technology must cooperate to solve this global issue so that we can create the so-called low carbon revolution,' he said. 'I want to seek the cooperation of the Apec members. I want to say to them, 'Let's work together.''
Countries these days, he said, can no longer promise sustainable economic growth without making such growth compatible with the environment.
Mr Hatoyama, who was sworn in about two months ago as Prime Minister, arrives in Singapore tomorrow for his maiden Apec conference. He swept into office after a landslide victory by his Democratic Party of Japan, which promised to cut wasteful public spending and introduce populist measures on health and welfare. He has also pledged to build a more equal partnership with the United States.
Asked during the interview what role he sees for Japan as next year's host economy for Apec, he said it is important for Apec's developed members to first see how far they have achieved the goals of free and open trade agreed to at the 1994 meeting in Bogor and to set further goals beyond 2010.
But he also pointed out that the task of revitalising and evolving Apec requires the coordination of several countries.
It is therefore vital for Japan to work closely with this year's host, Singapore, and 2011's host, America. 'In that sense, I am looking forward to going to Singapore this weekend,' he said.
Touching on the need for Japan to become more reliant on domestic demand for economic growth, he said it should be possible to create new industries from fields such as education and medical care.
He said Japan must move away from traditional public works projects and pay more importance to people's lives.
In considering Japan's future growth, Mr Hatoyama said he will bear in mind the fact that Japan can profit from Asia's economic growth: 'Japan can use technological cooperation to aid Asia's economic development. The power of Asia's economic growth will in turn fuel Japan's growth. I think it is important for us to create such a win-win environment.'
Calling Japan's low birth rate his country's biggest concern, he said Japan will have no future if it cannot lick the problem and prevent the population from declining further.
