Major domestic industries including the electric, steel and automobile industries are collaborating to establish a new research organization in January to investigate the climate change issue.
Since the Democratic Party of Japan assumed power in August 2009, the government has dogmatically conducted discussions on climate change mitigation measures and dissatisfaction by industry has risen. Industry is planning to use the new research organization to develop “realistic” proposals to mitigate climate change.
The research organization will be called the International Environment and Economy Institute. It will be operated as a nonprofit organization (NPO) with funding from participating companies. The electric utility industry will provide about 20% of the operating funds. Teruaki Masumoto, Executive Advisor of Tokyo Electric Power, is anticipated to be the leader of the institute.
Approval by Tokyo Metropolitan Government for the NPO is anticipated in the near future. It will start operations, such as disseminating information and conducting seminars, at the beginning of next year and will operate until 2013.
