CO2 emissions Japan FY 2021, by sector

In the fiscal year 2021, the amount of carbon dioxide that was released by the energy conversion sector in Japan amounted to approximately 430 million tons of CO2. Carbon dioxide had the largest share of greenhouse gas emissions in Japan, accounting for over 90 percent of greenhouse gases.

 Main polluting sectors in Japan 

The energy conversion sector was the main polluting sector in that fiscal year. Following the nuclear disaster in Fukushima in 2011, nuclear energy was replaced by fossil fuels as sources with the largest share of the electricity production, resulting in increased emissions shortly after the disaster.
In terms of non-energy related carbon dioxide emissions, the industrial processes sector represented the main polluter. Japan is one of the global leaders in the manufacturing industry, with its industrial sector accounting for the largest final energy consumption. Most emissions arise here due to the high electricity consumption for the production.

Japan's measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

In 2020, former prime minister Suga Yoshihide announced that Japan aimed to be emission-free by 2050 and emphasized the importance of restructuring the energy sector to achieve this. The country is currently focusing on diversifying its energy mix, with an increased nuclear and renewable energy share. Moreover, Japan is one of the leading developers of climate-friendly technologies, such as electric vehicles. In recent years, figures indicated a decline of both the energy-related carbon dioxide emissions as well as carbon dioxide emissions from the industry sector. Nevertheless, there was international criticism that Japan's measures were not sufficient to counteract climate change.