Japan doubles down on coal power

Tokyo

AS most developed economies turn their back on coal, Japan is burning record amounts for electricity generation and plans to use even more of the dirtiest fossil fuel to fill the gap after the Fukushima disaster paralysed its nuclear sector.

But as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government pushes coal power, both at home and through exporting technology abroad, some of Japan's powerful trading houses are cutting or freezing coal investments over concerns about the environmental fallout.

With networks spanning the globe, trading houses such as Mitsui & Co are closely attuned to international developments that might hit future profit…