Japan’s new energy policy to take effect by early 2013

To make up for the decline in nuclear power generation, the country will boost power conservation and the use of renewable energy in its new electricity portfolio.

Japan's government plans to formulate a new energy policy by early 2013, and will unveil a range of options to meet energy demand to 2030 by March, Tokyo Shimbun daily said on Friday, possibly delaying investment on renewable energy and increasing the usage of fossil fuels in the near term.

According to a Reuters report, Japan has said it would wean itself from nuclear power amid increased public concern over safety, after a massive earthquake and tsunami in March triggered the world's worst atomic crisis in 25 years at the Fukushima Daiichi station.

To make up for the fall in nuclear power generation, Tokyo has said the country would boost power conservation and the use of renewable energy in its new medium-term portfolio for electricity.

But details are not yet clear on how and when to make changes that also have to meet Tokyo's ambitious goal to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent by 2020 from 1990 levels.

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