Japan Allows More Coal-Fired Power to Cope With Energy Shock (1)

Japan will allow more use of coal-fired power plants in an effort to boost security of supply to cope with the energy shock from the war in the Middle East.

The country will let less-efficient coal facilities take part in capacity market auctions in the fiscal year starting in April, according to documents from a panel meeting at the trade ministry on Friday. Such plants had been restricted from the auctions — where generators sell supply — to tackle climate change.

Japan is joining other nations that have shifted course to use the dirtiest fossil fuel more in the wake ...