Japan Must Curb Clean Power Reliance, Warns Leadership Candidate

  • Takayuki Kobayashi says Japan will need coal power plants
  • Comments come as environmentalists warn Japan lags peers
Wind turbines in Japan.Photographer: Kentaro Takahashi/Bloomberg
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Japan’s energy strategy must be overhauled to curb future reliance on renewables and support economic growth, according to a candidate running in the race to become the next prime minister.

“Japan will need coal-fired power plants,” said Takayuki Kobayashi, a former economic security minister who is running in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party leadership election. The winner of the race will become the next premier of the country.