Greenpeace Japan Press Release
October 20, 2004

In the Midst of a Typhoon, Greenpeace Calls on Japanese Government to Increase Protection Against Climate Change

Tokyo - As the super-sized Typhoon Tokage (Typhoon 23) is about to hit Japan's capital city, renew the history record on the number of typhoons hitting Japan, the international environmental group Greenpeace will hold an outdoor press conference in the storm, demanding that the Japanese government take further action to combat dangerous climate change and promote renewable energy. The outdoor news conference will be held near the statue of Hatchiko (dog) , outside of Shibuya Railway Station, from 5:00PM this afternoon.

The increased strength of recent typhoons is consistent with scientific predications issued by the United States NOAA earlier this year. It predicts typhoons and hurricanes of greater intensity as a result of warmer ocean waters, which will give storms greater strength. Warmer waters in the Pacific Ocean have been widely reported this year, south and east of Japan where the typhoons originate.

The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report predicts that climate change will trigger storms of greater intensity. Increase in tropical cyclone peak wind intensities is likely to happen and more intense precipitation events is very likely over many areas.

The government of Japan has recognized that when climate change trigger extreme weather events which in turn cause floods and landslides, enormous economic and social losses will be created. Under the Kyoto Protocol, industrialised countries must reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 5% below their 1990 levels, 6% for Japan. But the Japanese emissions have increased by 7.6% since 1990. The Japanese government needs to act immediately to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions by promoting efficient use of renewable energy sources such as; solar, wind, and biomass on an emergency basis, and commit to an ambitious mid-term target for achieving even deeper cuts to stop dangerous climate change. More specifically it must:

1. promote solar energy by showing its ongoing commitment with increased subsidies
2. dramatically increase the amount of wind generated electricity
3. redirect subsidies to fossil fuels and nuclear power into renewables.

Greenpeace Japan's climate campaigner Masaaki Nakajima states, "Damages caused by extreme weather are increasing in Japan and worldwide. The Koizumi government needs to live up to its Kyoto commitments, by implementing policies to promote renewable energy such as solar power and dramatically reduce the global warming gas emissions."

Slide show

For further information, please contact:

Masaaki Nakajima, Greenpeace Japan Climate Change campaigner
Steve Shallhorn, Greenpeace Japan Executive Director
Keiko Shirokawa, Greenpeace Japan Media officer