Japanese consumers considering buying a diesel car may be given incentives under new plans from the government.

Anyone buying a clean diesel car in the next financial year may get a financial incentive, government officials announced, in a bid to reduce the country's carbon footprint.

The plans are being drawn up by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) ahead of the introduction of tighter emissions legislation next year.

Currently, Mercedes-Benz is the only brand to sell diesel cars in Japan while Nissan will be the only automaker that meets the new emissions standards when it introduces its diesel X-Trail.

The regulations will limit the emissions of particulate matter to about one third of their current level, Reuters reports.

Japan offered incentives to consumers buying hybrid cars from 1998 to encourage the uptake of environmentally-friendly cars.



Source:

Japan to offer incentives on clean diesel cars, 21/08/08
http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUST28172720080821?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews&sp=true