Reuters:

“Japan will introduce measures to accelerate the closure of old, inefficient coal power plants by 2030, the country’s industry minister, Hiroshi Kajiyama, said on Friday.

“The Yomiuri reported on Thursday that Japan will close or mothball as many as 100 old coal plants by about 2030, in what Japan’s biggest selling newspaper said was a major turning point for the country on energy.

“That sentiment was echoed by some environmental groups, which have long criticized Japan’s strong support for the dirtiest fossil fuel.”

Lest we jump for joy too quickly:

“But [Kajiyama] poured cold water on a suggestion by media that the move was a major shift in energy policy, saying Japan will continue to rely on coal power and support the building of newer, more efficient plants.”

Amusingly, the article doesn’t mention one Japanese elephant in the room: Population decline. Japan’s population starting to drop in 2011. It’s 2014 population of 127 million is expected to drop to 107 million by 2040 and 97 million in 2050.

It’s not clear they’ll need new anything plants.

Really, I can’t see “newer, more efficient” coal plants being the go-to for the 2040s, let alone the 2030s or even the 2020s!

Delusional words to keep the coal industrial complex happy.