Japan Ministry Sets Sustainable Aviation Fuel Target

Tokyo, Dec. 10 (Jiji Press)--Japan's transport ministry said Friday that it aims to replace 10 pct of jet fuel used by domestic airlines with sustainable aviation fuels by 2030. This is the first time for the ministry to set a numerical target for SAFs, including plant-based fuels. SAFs are expected to help reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The ministry unveiled the target at a meeting to discuss ways to reduce CO2 emissions from aircraft flight. With the target, the ministry aims to promote decarbonization efforts related to the use of airplanes, which is sometimes criticized as "flight shame" because of high levels of CO2 emissions from planes compared with trains and other means of transportation, sources familiar with the situation said. The amount of SAFs produced worldwide is less than 1 pct of total demand for aircraft fuel. The ministry will establish a public-private council involving relevant manufacturers to facilitate the development and production of SAFs in Japan. It aims to put some domestically made SAFs into commercial use in 2025 in order to start tests for launching mass production around 2030 as part of an effort to expand supplies. The ministry also plans to construct a supply chain for SAFs in hopes of increasing the amount used in Japan, including imported fuels. In a joint report compiled in October, Japan Airlines <9201> and All Nippon Airways proposed that global airlines should use SAFs to cover 10 pct of their fuel demand by 2030 in a bid to reduce the airline industry's CO2 emissions to effectively zero by 2050. END