As industry is required to make efforts toward the realization of a carbon-free society, the Japan Iron and Steel Federation, which is made up of steel makers, has set out a basic policy of aiming for virtually zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050.
It has been 50 years ahead of its long-term vision of 2100.
Steel products emit a large amount of carbon dioxide in the process of making iron from raw iron ore using coal or the like.
On the 15th, the Japan Iron and Steel Federation announced a policy toward virtually zero carbon dioxide emissions, and will accelerate efforts to achieve it by 2050.
Specifically, the company plans to promote research on new steelmaking technologies that utilize hydrogen instead of coal, and the development of technologies that collect carbon dioxide so that it does not go out and store it underground.
However, in particular, iron-making technology using hydrogen is "an extremely ambitious challenge that has just begun to be developed in each country."
The federation has so far set a vision of achieving zero emissions by 2100, but it is 50 years ahead of schedule as industry is required to make further efforts.
On the other hand, "carbon pricing," in which companies pay for carbon dioxide emissions, is opposed because it hinders technological innovation.
Masaaki Izumiyama, chairman of the Japan Iron and Steel Federation's Global Environment Committee, said, "Achieving decarbonization is a high hurdle, but we want to take on the challenge as a whole industry."