Japan’s government is set to announce plans today to temporarily lift restrictions on coal-fired power plants as it seeks to ease an energy crunch caused by the Middle East war, media reports according to AFP.

The Japanese industry ministry will announce its proposal to boost the use of coal by rolling back rules that were aimed at curbing greenhouse gas emissions, Jiji Press and other Japanese media reported, citing unnamed sources.

Power suppliers have previously been required to keep the operating rate of coal-fired thermal power stations that emit large amounts of carbon dioxide at or below 50 per cent, according to Jiji Press.

But the government now intends to allow full operation of older, less efficient coal-fired plants, the report said, adding the ministry will present the plan at a panel of experts’ meeting scheduled for today.