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(Provisional Translation) Statement by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on the Entry into Force of the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change February 16, 2005

The Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change entered into force today. Ever since its adoption at the Third Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP3) held in Kyoto in 1997, Japan has been calling on other countries for its entry into force at the earliest date possible. Unlike issues such as air pollution, global warming arises from our daily lives and activities. Global warming is an environmental problem that has an ever-increasing impact on current and future generations and affects the entire world. For this reason, I cordially welcome the entry into force of this framework for international cooperation to prevent global warming. Japan, as a forerunner in this field, intends to advance measures against global warming and will contribute to the promotion of prevention of global warming by sharing its environmental technologies with other countries. At the same time, it is important that more countries join and work together under a common framework to prevent global warming, given the fact that there still are countries with high levels of greenhouse gas emissions that have not yet ratified the Kyoto Protocol, and that developing countries are exempt from emission reduction commitments. It is no easy task for Japan to meet its reduction target stipulated in the Kyoto Protocol. Since taking office as Prime Minister, I have been striving to balance environmental protection with economic development by way of science and technology. The Government of Japan will support individual efforts of each citizen to prevent global warming and will take the initiative in various activities to further strengthen measures against global warming. To this end, the Government will formulate the Kyoto Protocol Target Attainment Plan. This plan will include additional measures to control the emission of greenhouse gases, carbon sink measures and measures for the utilization of the Kyoto Mechanism. We must carry out this plan without fail under the combined efforts of the public and private sectors. I would like to ask for your continued and further understanding and cooperation to promote the efforts for the prevention of global warming in cooperation with other countries.