Climate campaigners held a protest action against Japan and the G7 for their encouragement of continuing to invest in fossil fuels, including natural gas, and false solutions, such as hydrogen, ammonia and carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies. The protest was held ahead of the G7 Leaders Summit to be held in Hiroshima, Japan on May 19-21, 2023.

Joined by some 200 protesters from different communities in Metro Manila which includes the Asian Peoples’ Movement on Debt and Development (APMDD) and member organizations, Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ), Sanlakas, Oriang, Aniban ng Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (AMA), and K4K QC.

The mobilization takes place on the eve of the G7 Leaders Summit, a congregation of seven of the world’s most advanced economies including Germany, France, the United Kingdom and the United States. This year Japan, the only Asian member, is hosting the summit. The G7 also holds the top financiers of fossil fuels, with Japan being the undisputed leader in public fossil fuel financing, contributing USD9.7 billion from 2017-2021.

With Japan at the helm of the G7, the climate goals of the group are at risk. In 2022, Japan is the only country that reneged on the G7 commitment to end fossil fuel financing by the end of that year. It has also blocked past attempts of the group to implement stricter policies on a phase-out of the financing for coal and gas. Japan also has unveiled its grand investment strategy called “Green Transformation” which has provisions encouraging Japanese companies and the government to export Natural Gas, Hydrogen, and Ammonia projects in Southeast Asia including the Philippines.

The mobilization is part of the Don’t Gas Asia campaign, and alongside similar actions held in other cities around the world as part of the Fossil Free Japan’s campaign against Japan to stop funding fossil fuels.