Japan is backing moves for the International Maritime Organization to target net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from shipping by 2050.
Japan joins a growing list of countries calling for shipping decarbonisation to be accelerated including the European Union, a group of Pacific Islands and the US.
Japan said it will make its proposal for carbon neutral shipping by 2050 together with the US, the UK, Norway and Costa Rica.
The proposal will be made to the IMO's upcoming Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) meeting, which will be held in November this year.
The IMO meeting comes shortly after the COP26 climate talks in Glasgow.
The MEPC meeting will be the start of international talks to upgrade the IMO's decarbonisation targets, which are scheduled to be concluded in 2023.
The IMO's current target is to halve shipping emissions by 2050, compared to 2008 levels.
In a statement, Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) said shipping needs to keep in line with global moves to accelerate decarbonisation.
The MLIT has been promoting the development of zero-emission technology and Japanese shipping and shipbuilding companies are preparing to demonstrate ammonia and hydrogen-fuelled ships.
The country is keen to develop an international framework alongside technological development. The MLIT said: "The Japanese government will also promote the development and demonstration of zero-emission ships such as hydrogen-fuelled ships or ammonia-fuelled ships, which are essential to realise the target."
