Japanese firms examine power-saving plans

JAPAN - Japan's biggest business lobby has asked its member companies and associations to compile electricity-saving plans for the summer, an industry source with knowledge of the matter said, to help avoid rolling blackouts that could hobble the economy.

The Nippon Keidanren requested that its members come up with the gist of their plans in line with government targets, the source said, as the country grapples with a shortage of power production after last month's massive earthquake and tsunami shut down several big nuclear and thermal stations.

The government recently announced power reduction targets for Tokyo and northern Japan that will require big manufacturers and other large-scale users to cut a day's peak consumption in the summer by one-fourth.

The Nippon Keidanren's members include almost 1,300 major firms.