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UK and Japan collaborate to tackle climate change & promote energy security

The UK and Japan will increase their cooperation to tackle international climate change and energy security issues, including energy efficiency, nuclear energy and renewable energy policies.

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

As part of a two day visit to the UK, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan met UK Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey, and both countries reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring security of supply and reducing emissions.

Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Edward Davey said:

“The UK and Japan both recognise the importance of investing in a diverse and clean energy mix in order to ensure a competitive economy, long-term security of supply and avoid dangerous climate change.

“I hugely value our partnership with Japan and am pleased to continue to work together to secure a global climate change deal in 2015 and support the global transition to a low carbon economy.”

During the visit, Mr Davey and Prime Minister Abe also discussed areas of UK-Japan low carbon cooperation, including nuclear energy. Both countries believe that nuclear energy provides a consistent and affordable source of energy, and has a key role to play in the future low carbon energy mix. The UK and Japan are working together with other G7 partners to enhance energy resilience worldwide, through promoting a diverse, low carbon energy mix and integrated energy markets.

The statement confirms that the two countries will continue to work closely on the decommissioning of nuclear waste. The UK will continue to provide technological and strategic expertise to support work dealing with the challenges at Fukushima Daiichi.

The visit coincides with the signing of a cooperation statement between Sellafield Ltd and TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi Decontamination & Decommissioning Engineering Company to share experience in radioactive waste management, clean up and nuclear decommissioning.

Published 1 May 2014