Japan, not wanting to anger U.S., fails to show presence at COP24

The lights of the Rainbow Bridge in Tokyo are turned off to raise awareness of and to help prevent global warming on June 21, the summer solstice. (Credit: The Yomiuri Shimbun)

KATOWICE, Poland -- Japan failed to show its presence at the U.N. climate talks in Poland that ended on Saturday.

While Germany and France clearly pledged to increase contributions to the international fund to support developing countries fight climate change at the 24th Conference of the Parties to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP24), Japan only announced its bid to become the next secretary general of the fund.

The government places great importance on relations with the United States, thus, it is reluctant to take up climate change issues when Japan hosts the 2019 Group of 20 meetings. The G20 summit meeting will be held in Osaka in June, and climate change is a subject the current U.S. administration clearly will disagree with.

"It's impossible to create a framework for the United States versus other countries at the G20 meeting to be held in Japan," a senior Foreign Ministry official said. "Climate change will not be a major agenda item at the summit meeting."

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