Aso proposes to collaborate with U.S. on green energy

During his talk with U.S. President Barack Obama in February, Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso proposed that Japan and the United States collaborate on energy and environmental technologies in four key areas. The proposal emphasized the Japanese government’s full support for Obama’s Green New Deal, under which the U.S. government will channel more investment to the environmental sectors. The four energy- and environment-related areas Japan and the United States will collaborate on are: measures for spreading next-generation vehicles such as electric cars and plug-in hybrid cars that can be recharged at household power sockets, development of innovative low-carbon technology that can substantially reduce carbon dioxide emissions, expansion of energy saving and new energy markets and peaceful use of nuclear power. (February 24, 2009)