The energy plan named coal as an important, long-term electricity source, while more expensive green energy targets were noticeably absent.

The policy also gives nuclear energy the same prominence as coal in the country’s energy mix despite growing concern since the Fukushima disaster in 2011.

As a result of the nuclear plant closures that followed Fukushima, 10 power companies consumed a record breaking 5.6 million tonnes of coal in January 2014.

Japan’s hunger for coal mirrors trends in the US and Europe where the push for cheaper electricity constantly undermines rules to limit greenhouse gas emissions.

Germany, Spain and the UK have all slashed subsidies on renewable energy in a bid to make energy more affordable.

Environmentalists have claimed that the new policy offers little in terms of policy direction.

Instead the plan calls for closed reactors to be reopened while offering no targets for wind or solar power generation.

WWF Japan has urged the government to set a target to promote clean energy as soon as possible.

However, the policy does call for clean coal technologies and acknowledges that traditional fossil fuels are higher pollutants and carry more costs.

Due to the increase of coal imports since Fukushima, the resource-poor country found itself in a run of 20 consecutive months of trade deficits.