Japan, firms aim to aid China in saving energy

The government and major companies will start helping China save energy when a bilateral ministerial forum kicks off in Tokyo next month to debate environmental technologies, according to sources.

The forum may open new doors for Japan to sell China cutting-edge conservation technologies it has developed by reducing energy consumption 30 percent since the 1970s oil crises, the sources said.

Japan hopes to mitigate the adverse effects of China’s rapid economic development, especially the soaring cost of crude oil.

The support is also expected to promote bilateral cooperation in energy in the future, including Japan’s procurement of crude oil and petroleum products from China.

But the energy-saving forum comes at a time Japan and China are arguing over drilling rights for gas fields in the East China Sea.

Japan Times