JAPANESE environmentalists have slammed the government for continuing to fund fossil fuel extraction worldwide despite the climate emergency.

A group of NGOs handed in a statement signed by 93 organisations from 30 countries to the Japan Bank for International Co-operation today, condemning its decision to provide up to $850 million (£630m) to the LNG Canada project, which plans to liquify shale gas extracted in British Columbia for export to Asia.

The statement came on the same day that Japan’s parliament re-elected Fumio Kishida as prime minister, following the Liberal Democratic victory in the October 31 election. 

It pointed out that Japan is the second-largest provider of public funds for fossil fuel projects, supporting them to the tune of $10.9 billion (£8.1bn) annually from 2018 through 2020. 

“As the world moves away from fossil fuels such as oil, gas, and coal, Japan is increasingly being left out of the global decarbonisation initiative,” it stated.

 “It still has no roadmap to completely phase out its involvement in coal power.

“The Japanese government should decide to stop supporting the Indramayu coal power project in Indonesia and Matabari 2 in Bangladesh.”