The Japanese government is to propose a massive reduction in CO2 emissions to a quarter of those in 2002 by 2050, government sources have revealed.

The proposal will be made in the government's long-term energy policy outlines to be complied later this year, with transport at the heart of the new strategy according to Fuel Cell Today.

A reduction by 2050 of CO2 emissions in advanced nations to 3.1 billion tonnes will be proposed, with a further reduction to 600 million tonnes by 2100.

Energy consumption will be split into four areas: transportation, industry, household and other civic use, and electrical power, as part of an interim policy.

By 2100, although natural gas will remain as an energy source for industry and transport, most energy consumption will be met by renewable energy sources such as hydrogen energy, nuclear and solar power.

Research and development of new technologies will be invested in, including renewable energy sources such as hydrogen or solar power.

Like many other Western countries Japan has begun cracking down on vehicle emissions in recent years, with reduction programmes for nitrogen oxide and particulate matter already in place across seven large municipalities near to Tokyo and Osaka.

The targets are designed to regulate the use of diesel-powered vehicles and require them to have diesel particulate filters (DPFs) installed.

The law will also urge the increasing adoption of low-emission vehicles, including gasoline-electric hybrid, fuel cell, electric, and compressed natural gas-powered units, with a ballpark figure of 10 million (out of 75 million vehicles on Japan's roads) by 2010.