Tokyo, Japan – Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi today dissolved the House of Representatives and announced that snap elections will be held on February 8. Climate group 350.org Japan calls upon all political parties and candidates to adopt policies that shift Japan away from fossil fuels and nuclear power and accelerate the transition to 100% renewable energy.
Masayoshi Iyoda, 350.org Japan Campaigner said:
“Fossil fuel dependence and worsening climate impacts are creating a critical situation in Japan. In recent years, approximately 100,000 people in Japan were hospitalized due to heatstroke, while nearly 33,000 heat-related deaths were recorded over a five-year period. Damage from a single event of severe flooding costs us trillions of yen, severely impacting Japan’s economy. Moreover, Japan spends tens of trillions of yen on fossil fuel imports, draining public money. Combined with global conflicts and yen depreciation, this leads to a significant rise in energy costs and inflation, making daily life increasingly difficult for citizens. Prices of food items such as rice and vegetables have soared due to extreme weather.
Price hikes, climate-related disasters, and health are concerns shared by all people living in Japan—regardless of gender, age, or political orientation. According to a 2025 survey, 71.2% of respondents stated they care about ‘energy, environment, and climate change’ when considering which candidate to support in the next elections.
In 2020, the House of Representatives (Shugiin) passed a resolution declaring a ‘climate emergency,’ making it clear that climate change is an urgent issue requiring action from all lawmakers. Yet, measures to address this supposed emergency have progressed at a snail’s pace. Japan’s energy policy still relies heavily on fossil fuels, with approximately 90% of greenhouse gas emissions coming from fossil fuel-derived CO2.
Japan cannot afford to be left behind in the fast-growing clean energy economy. If the new government wants real legitimacy, domestically and globally, it shouldn’t commit the same isolationist mistake as the US. The climate crisis must be high on the electoral agenda. People expect and deserve solutions, regardless of which party wins.”