Japan’s government on Tuesday urged citizens and businesses to conserve electricity, warning that the capital of Tokyo could face blackouts as a result of the cold weather and power plant outages caused by last week’s earthquake. Snow fell in Tokyo on Tuesday, with temperatures forecast to peak at just 4 degrees Celsius (39.2 degrees Fahrenheit), compared with a high of 14 degrees on Monday. The Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry issued a power crunch alert for areas supplied by Tokyo Electric (TEPCO) and Tohoku Electric Power Co in anticipation of a demand spike to meet heating needs amid freezing temperatures. “We request your cooperation to save electricity as much as possible, such as by setting your thermostats at around 20 degrees Celsius and switching off any unnecessary lights,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told a news conference. Matsuno said that the request for power savings is unlikely to be …