

Japan, located at the crossroads of four tectonic plates and on what is known as the "Pacific Ring of Fire" and dotted with volcanoes, is one of the world's most quake-prone countries.

Brown noted that demand for the technology will grow in other geothermal-rich countries located on tectonic faultlines such as Indonesia and the Philippines in Asia as well as Chile, Peru and Colombia in South America. "This is an opportunity for Japan to move to the centre stage in an area where it is richly endowed," he added.

Japan, until now, is world's fifth largest emitter of greenhouse gases, which are blamed for raising global temperatures, melting the Earth's ice caps and glaciers, and changing weather patterns. (The Independent)