Japan's coal-fired plants 'to cause thousands of early deaths'

Greenpeace slams 'insane' plan for dozens of power plants, with huge implications for air quality and climate change

Plans by Japan to build dozens of coal-fired power stations will cause at least 10,000 premature deaths, according to a study, as the country struggles to fulfil its climate change obligations five years after the Fukushima disaster closed down almost all of its nuclear plants.

Greenpeace and the environmental group Kiko Network said in a joint report that Japan's determination to press ahead with a massive expansion in fossil fuel-based power production, with at least 43 plants to be built over the next 12 years, would come at a price to human health and "lock in carbon emissions for decades".