Environment protection policy and its effective in Japan As a result that Japan is a major industrialized country with very

high GDP, they cannot avoid from industrial pollution and tough environmental issues. Japan is the worlds leading importer of exhaustible energy resources and the worlds fifth largest emitter of greenhouse gas or Carbon Dioxide. Therefore, Japan is one of leading countries in reducing industrial pollution and improving environmental degradation. Japan has been dealing with the issue of environmental problem both at national and international level. At national level, Japan has established the Environmental Agency in 1971 and the Ministry of Environment was formed in 2001 instead of agency to directly take responsibility on enforcing laws and regulations, formulating and implementing policies. There is not only the Ministry of Environment coping with the issues, but also the Ministry of Economic, Trade and Industry as well. Japan is taking serious concern on the environmental issue as can be seen in traditional industrial policy, which integrated industrial pollution control policy in it. Moreover, Japans policies are remarkably different from other countries due to it emphasizes on carrots more than sticks. Its emission standards were enforced by persuasion rather than by coercion. Enforcement of regulations was conducted through administrative guidance rather than by punishing the polluter. They often use carrots like financial incentives for industrial sector to improve environmental performance, rather than making them pay energy or carbon taxes as sticks or punishment. Another characteristic of their strategy is a long-term approach. Japanese Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Economic, Trade and Industry is integrating a mechanism to promote eco-innovation to seek to encourage structural changes such as change in consumer behavior and lifestyle. Their government supports the supply of environmental technologies and stimulates the need for green products and eco-

friendly goods such as car. Japan tends to be successful at promoting environmental friendly automobile. Japanese consumers are very quick and well adopted with the new technology of environmental friendly products, so the demand of it is increasing and expanding. As environmental problems are not domestic issue or are ones responsibility, Japan is taking a serious action to cooperate within region and global. In 1997, Japan hosted the conference known as Kyoto Protocol and under the Kyoto Protocol treaty is obligated to reduce its Carbon Dioxide emissions 6% from the level in 1990 by 2012. In addition, as one of Development Assistance Committee of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Japan has added environmental conservation as its basic philosophy of aid policy and provided large amount of money to expand and strengthen the field of environment. To investigate Japan environmental policy in term of achievement of its environmental sustainability, our group is choosing the reduction of Sulfur Dioxide and Carbon Dioxide emission as our indicator. As Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) is one of the major sources of health and ecosystem damages including air pollution, Japan had the Sulfur Dioxide emission control policy since the establishment of Environment Agency and reinforced in 1974 by introducing the Total Emission Control. According to the data from OECD environmental performance reviews on Japan 2010, most Sulfur Dioxide emissions were achieved in the industrial sector and the amount of Sulfur Dioxide emission (Kilogram per Capita) has been dramatically decreasing 15 percent from 2000-2007.1 As mentioned above, Japan need to reduce 6 percent of Carbon Dioxide emission from the level in 1990 by 2012 under Kyoto Protocol treaty and under Copenhagen accord, Japan also summited the target of Carbon Dioxide emission at 25
1

The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (, "OECD Environmental Performance Reviews: Japan 2010 ." Last modified 2010. http://www.keepeek.com/Digital-AssetManagement/oecd/environment/oecd-environmental-performance-reviews-japan-2010/executivesummary_9789264087873-1-en.

percent from the level in 1990 by 2020. Mechanisms set by the Japanese Federation of Economic Organizations have been implemented to reduce emissions in the industry sector. Plus, for household and offices, environmental education and information dissemination are used as a measure to measure the reduction. To evaluate the environmental policy in term of achievement of the environmental sustainability, our group uses the CO2 emissions (metric tons per capita) as an indicator by World development Indicator under World Bank organization. It shows that Japan can reduce Carbon Dioxide emission from 9.8 metric ton per capita in 2007 to 9.5 metric ton per capita in 2008.2 With the successful data, our group conclude that Japan can well performs on environmental sustainability and can achieve its goal.

The World Bank, "CO2 emissions (metric tons per capita)." http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/EN.ATM.CO2E.PC/countries/JP-?display=graph.