Japan Ratifies Kyoto Protocol

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, June 04, 2002

Japan Ratifies Kyoto Protocol

Japan on Tuesday ratified the 1997 Kyoto Protocol aimed at curbing global warning, Japanese government spokesman said.

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Japan on Tuesday ratified the 1997 Kyoto Protocol aimed at curbing global warning, Japanese government spokesman said.

Japan will submit its ratification documents for the pact to the United Nations headquarters in New York later in the day.

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said in a statement, ''The Kyoto Protocol marks a significant step to strengthen an international framework to deal with climate changes. Japan hopes other states will ratify it quickly so that the pact takes effect soon.''

The statement was released shortly after Koizumi's cabinet endorsed the ratification.

Koizumi's statement also referred to the U.S. withdrawal from the pact, saying, ''Japan will do its utmost so that a rule can be created that all nations, including the United States and developing ones, can join.''

Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi said in a similar statement that Japan will help states, including developing ones, to deal with the global warming problem by using measures such as official development assistance.

The Kyoto Protocol requires industrialized countries to cut their greenhouse-gas emissions from 1990 levels by an average of 5.2% between 2008 and 2012. Under the requirement, which is legally binding, Japan has to make a 6% reduction in such emissions.

The Kyoto pact will enter into force 90 days after being ratified by 55 states -- representing 55% of industrialized countries' carbon dioxide emissions in 1990.

Thursday is the deadline for procedures to be taken for the pact to be ratified in time for its enforcement during the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg from Aug. 26 to Sept. 4.

But due to a delay in ratification by Russia, it has effectively become impossible for the pact to enter into force during the Johannesburg summit. In the absence of the U.S., ratification by Russia is essential to meet the target.

The European Union submitted ratification documents for the pact to U.N. headquarters last Friday.

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