An illustration depicting "inter-regional links through renewable energy"

Northern prefectures answer Tokyo's demand for renewable energy

Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) will channel renewable energy from five prefectures in northern Japan through new 'demand-pull' measures.

Tokyo's densitylimits the installation of local renewable energy sources, but the five energy-supplying prefectures – Hokkaido, Aomori, Iwate, Akita and Yamagata – all have abundant sources of natural energy.

The scheme is mutually beneficial business; the northern prefectures get an economic boost while Tokyo moves closer to its goal of lowering the city's greenhouse gas (GHG) emmisions 20% below 2000 levels by 2020.

• Read more about TMG's approach to renewable energy in this official government report.

In April 2010, TMG introduced Asia's first GHG emissions trading scheme (ETS) which is primarily aimed at large businesses in Toyko whose annual use of fuel, heat and electricty amounts to over 1,500 kl of crude oil. Environmental improvement through the use of renewable energy is an acceptable form of credit in the ETS.

• Tokyo covers 0.6% of Japan's total land area but accounts for 10% of the country's population.

• Tokyo Metropolitan Area, which consists of four prefectures, including Tokyo, and is the world's largest metropolitan area with a population of about 32 million.

• Tokyo is responsible for about 4% of Japan's overall GHG emissions.