Kenneth E. Wilkening, Acid rain science and politics in Japan: a history of knowledge and action toward sustainability

Abstract

This is a very interesting book and Wilkening is an interesting writer. Focused entirely on what the author calls ‘‘the arcane history of acid deposition problems in Japan’’, the book opens in the first page with a description of Japan’s geography and ‘‘culture of rain’’ so vivid and poetic that the reader can almost see a painting rather than words. The reader is quickly shaken off this by the author with his statement, in bullets, of his rationale for the book, but is once again captivated by his brief description of the evolution of this intellectual project. Towards the end of the first chapter when Wilkening describes his intended audiences—‘‘scholars in the fields of environmental science, political science, specialists in history, Asian history and Japanese culture ... and nonspecialist audience...those who desire greater insight into the modern struggle to attain sustainability’’ (p. 6), one starts to worry if he is not overreaching a bit. Wilkening closes the first chapter with a caution that ‘‘those not well versed in environmental science will find some portions of the book difficult reading’’ and encourages them to ‘‘persevere or to skim’’. Interestingly, this reviewer (who has a background in chemistry and environmental management) had tremendous difficulty reading the non scientific part of the book, specifically the second chapter (Sustainable Science, Politics and the Environment). This chapter describes the intellectual history of the book and explains the analytic framework and associated concepts used throughout. A 66-word definition (in one sentence) of what constitutes an ‘‘environmental problemframework’’ did not seem warranted. Nor was it helpful, even when it was followed by a page of additional explanation. Re-reading the definition a few more times did nothing. The long-windedness was complicated by Wilkening’s tendency towards reification. By the time I got to the 84-word definition of ‘‘bridging object’’ I was ready to set the book aside for a while. Fortunately I had to pick up the book again. What great learning opportunity I would have missed! Chapter 3 is an overview of the book and shows how familiar the author is with the country and how careful a researcher he is. The ‘‘science’’ part of the book, which is the rest of it, is absolutely fascinating. Rich and meticulous, sometimes poignant description of the creativity of Japanese scientists particularly during the preand early post-war period shows the author’s patient use of primary and secondary information sources. Wilkening describes the political struggle of communities whose livelihoods were severely impacted by industrial acid deposition and shows how Japanese culture shapes its politics. As does his analysis of when and why Japan joined the international fora on acid rain. His description of the responses of civil servants, politicians and corporations to the acid deposition crises paint a familiar picture to those of us who have been involved in environmental advocacy. The appendix shows the same care and thoroughness with which Wilkening carried out the research for the book. The references are invaluable. This book is a must for those in the environmental community who want to gain a better understanding of the science-public policy interface. Whether or not one agrees with Wilkening’s vision of sustainability and sustainable societies, Acid Rain Science and Politics in Japan succeeds in demonstrating one of his assertions—‘‘good environmental policy requires sound science, and sound science requires astute political support’’. N. T. Yap (&) School of Environmental Design and Rural Development, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1 e-mail: nyap@rpd.uoguelph.ca