AFP, Tokyo

Japan’s government plans to temporarily lift restrictions on coal-fired power plants as it seeks to ease an energy crunch caused by the Middle East war, officials said yesterday.

Officials presented the plan at a meeting of a panel of experts, who approved the proposal, the industry ministry said on its website.

“Given the current situation in the Middle East affecting fuel prices, we believe that uncertainty regarding future LNG procurement is increasing,” an industry ministry official said at the meeting, which was broadcast online.