Trends and future issues of environmental management in Japan

Abstract

Japanese legislation on managing environmental issues has been developing since approximately 1990, and is today founded upon the Basic Environmental Law of 1993. Since then, the main aim of Japanese institutions has been to establish ‘a recycling-based society’ and develop measures to counter global warming. Various business groups and companies have now recognised environmental management as a social responsibility and have moved towards appropriate measures, such as waste reduction and better resource utilisation. At the same time, the environmental awareness and commitment of consumers has also risen. However, there remains much unease about the feasibility of Japan achieving its Kyoto Protocol target, and about its emissions of greenhouse gases after 2013. The Japan Business Federation has expressed opposition to environmental taxation and recommends a ‘sector-specific accumulation system’ for emission regulations. Concerns remain about whether this would be a solution or a problem, and Japanese consumers face a dilemma as to how to apply their growing environmental awareness. A sense of leadership is necessary to recruit relevant organisations and national consensus towards a change in socio-economic structure that will motivate government, corporate and public interests towards a common environmental goal.