Japan's greenhouse gas emissions hit a record low in fiscal 2020 due to decreased economic activities during the coronavirus pandemic.

Data compiled by the Ministry of the Environment shows that domestic emissions in the fiscal year that ended in March 2021 amounted to a carbon dioxide equivalent of 1.15 billion tons.

The figure is down by 62 million tons, or 5.1 percent, from the previous fiscal year. It fell for the seventh straight year and is the lowest since 1990, when comparable data became available.

Japan's government and companies have been working on introducing renewable energy and making efforts to save energy.
But the ministry says the drop in fiscal 2020 is largely due to sluggish economic activities, especially in the industrial and transport sectors.

The government aims by fiscal 2030 to cut emissions by 46 percent compared with fiscal 2013 levels. The ministry says if the current trend continues, Japan will have reduced emissions by around 45 percent by the target fiscal year.

But observers point out emissions are likely to increase when economic activities resume. They say Japan needs to work harder on reducing emissions.