The Japanese Prime Minister hailed his country’s world-leading green drive to boost economy during his speech at the WEF Summit on Friday.
Yoshihide Suga began his address by explaining his country’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, as well as his plans for the environment, digitalisation, free trade and the Olympics.
The prime minister acknowledged that the coronavirus crisis was affecting the health and lives of Japanese people, as well as business and the economy.
He said: “I am resolved that I am going to find an answer to the difficult challenges and lead the world by growing the Japanese economy.”
Mr Suga vowed to do the “utmost for the closure of this pandemic. I'm determined to ride over this difficulty, no one's health is left behind.”
He said that with the season being winter, the number of new cases was still high in Japan.
“We want to get the infection (rate) and Covid-19 pandemic under control as quickly as possible to enable people to regain a safe lifestyle,” Mr Suga said.
He highlighted how Japan had bolstered vaccine supply for developing nations by pledging more than $130 million.
Mr Suga then outlined plans to build a new engine for the growth that would propel the Japanese and global economy – a green and digital country.
“My administration declared last year that we go carbon neutral by 2050,” Mr Suga said. He expects this green revolution to create jobs for 15 million people.
“We will be moving forward with decisive enhancements of renewable energy, such as hydrogen and ocean windfarm, and regarding electric vehicles we plan that by 2035 all new vehicle sales will be 100 per cent electric,” he said.
The prime minister explained his vision for digitalisation, saying the pandemic has presented severe challenges but that plans will now be accelerated.
He said a digital agency will be established as the command centre directly reporting to him and it will commence its activities in autumn, helping to create a technologically progressive Japan.
“We will work with all our efforts so that Japan is a nation of science and technology that can lead the world with our innovation, even in a post Covid-era,” Mr Suga said.
The prime minister emphasised his “unwavering commitment to free trade” and pledged that Japan will lead efforts towards expanding free and fair economic areas and strengthening rules for a multilateral free trading system.
Referring to the World Trade Organisation, Mr Suga said: “While we continue to proactively work on WTO reform, we will show our leadership in realising what we call free flow of data with trust through the e-commerce negotiation at WTO.”
Of his country's relations with the Indo-Pacific nations, he said: “Japan will collaborate with like-minded countries and strategically promote our efforts to make free and open Indo-Pacific concept a reality.”
The prime minister stressed the importance of multilateralism and said that Japan will “work together with the international community to live up to the challenge of global issues in order to realise a united world”.
Mr Suga also highlighted Japan’s role as host of the Olympic Games saying that he is resolved to deliver it in a safe and secure manner.
The prime minister said: “The future beyond is full of hope. The Olympic (Games) will offer hope and courage to the whole world as a testimony of mankind prevailing over Covid-19 – and as a symbol of the unity of the world.”
The Olympics were due to be staged in Japan in 2020 but were cancelled because of the coronavirus outbreak. The event is now scheduled to take place from July 23.
'Operation Mincemeat'
Director: John Madden
Cast: Colin Firth, Matthew Macfayden, Kelly Macdonald and Penelope Wilton
Rating: 4/5
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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Profile
Company: Libra Project
Based: Masdar City, ADGM, London and Delaware
Launch year: 2017
Size: A team of 12 with six employed full-time
Sector: Renewable energy
Funding: $500,000 in Series A funding from family and friends in 2018. A Series B round looking to raise $1.5m is now live.
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
WHEN TO GO:
September to November or March to May; this is when visitors are most likely to see what they’ve come for.
WHERE TO STAY:
Meghauli Serai, A Taj Safari - Chitwan National Park resort (tajhotels.com) is a one-hour drive from Bharatpur Airport with stays costing from Dh1,396 per night, including taxes and breakfast. Return airport transfers cost from Dh661.
HOW TO GET THERE:
Etihad Airways regularly flies from Abu Dhabi to Kathmandu from around Dh1,500 per person return, including taxes. Buddha Air (buddhaair.com) and Yeti Airlines (yetiairlines.com) fly from Kathmandu to Bharatpur several times a day from about Dh660 return and the flight takes just 20 minutes. Driving is possible but the roads are hilly which means it will take you five or six hours to travel 148 kilometres.
HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Roll of honour 2019-2020
Dubai Rugby Sevens
Winners: Dubai Hurricanes
Runners up: Bahrain
West Asia Premiership
Winners: Bahrain
Runners up: UAE Premiership
UAE Premiership
Winners: Dubai Exiles
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes
UAE Division One
Winners: Abu Dhabi Saracens
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes II
UAE Division Two
Winners: Barrelhouse
Runners up: RAK Rugby
THE BIO
Ms Davison came to Dubai from Kerala after her marriage in 1996 when she was 21-years-old
Since 2001, Ms Davison has worked at many affordable schools such as Our Own English High School in Sharjah, and The Apple International School and Amled School in Dubai
Favourite Book: The Alchemist
Favourite quote: Failing to prepare is preparing to fail
Favourite place to Travel to: Vienna
Favourite cuisine: Italian food
Favourite Movie : Scent of a Woman
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
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Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
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Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
