Federation Of Electric Power Companies Of Japan Chairman Makoto Yagi described as "difficult" Friday efforts at meeting the industry's carbon dioxide emission reduction target under the Kyoto Protocol, citing the idling of most of the country's nuclear-power capacity.

Japan's 10 regional utilities--Japan's largest CO2-emitting sector, accounting for roughly a quarter of the country's total emissions--previously committed to reduce their CO2 emissions by 20% per kilowatt-hour between April 2008 and March 2013, in order to help the country achieve a 6% reduction in emissions required under the protocol.

"In reality, it's difficult to achieve," said Yagi, who is also the president of Osaka-based Kansai Electric Power Co. (9503.TO). But the federation hasn't officially abandoned the target, he added.

Japan has no domestic law to enforce the Kyoto Protocol. Instead, the government negotiated separate, non-binding commitments with major industry bodies.

Some other signatory countries and conservation groups have criticized the system for the lack of enforceability.

Following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, nuclear reactors that have been shut for maintenance haven't been permitted to restart due to widespread public safety concerns. This has left only 11 reactors in operation out of a total 54--and the remaining reactors are all scheduled to be shut for maintenance by next May.

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