Japan in two minds over greenhouse cuts

27 October 1990

Japan has found a novel way to overcome a split in policy over preventing
global warming – it will simultaneously present two rival strategies at
the World Climate Conference, which begins this week in Geneva. The government’s
long-awaited Action Programme to Arrest Global Warming, which the cabinet
approved this week, endorses both sides of an argument that has engrossed
government departments in Tokyo for the past three months.

The argument was over the point at which Japan should freeze emissions
of carbon dioxide. The Environment Agency, the government department responsible
for setting environmental policy, wants Japan to produce no more carbon
dioxide in the year 2000 than it does now. However, the powerful Ministry
of International Trade and Industry argues that the freeze should apply
per head of population, which would mean that total emissions would increase
by around 5 per cent over the next 10 years.

The programme compromises by setting both targets. The first and most
strongly worded, says that ’emissions of carbon dioxide should be stabilised
on a per capita basis in the year 2000 and beyond (at a level) which is
about the same as in 1990.’ The second says that ‘efforts should also be
made to stabilise the total amount of carbon dioxide emissions in the year
2000 and beyond (at a level) which is nearly the same as in 1990.’

Saburo Kato, director of the Environment Agency’s global warming department
admitted that the second, and tougher target, was more loosely worded than
the first. However, ‘If the second is met, then automatically the first
will be met. I am personally quite sure that we can achieve this.’ MITI
was not prepared to accept the tougher target because officials thought
it would hamstring Japanese industry. Officials argue that Japan already
produces relatively low levels of carbon dioxide, calculated per head of
population. Measured per head, Japan’s emissions of gaseous carbons are
the third lowest in the industrial world: each Briton produces an average
of 20 per cent more while for Americans the figure is 250 per cent higher.
Kato said the Japanese government had resolved the dispute. ‘We believe
that such targets can be met without significant economic impact. This is
not just the view of the Environment Agency but the view of MITI too.’


However, the Japanese policy is likely to be controversial at the Geneva
conference, where several countries plan to announce actual cuts in emissions
of carbon dioxide (see ‘The politics of climate: a long haul ahead’, this
issue). Japan may also come under fire for failing to make the new measures
legally binding. Greenpeace Japan said that the action programme showed
that industrial development continues to be more important than environmental

The programme involves five different areas. It suggests promoting technologies
ranging from more efficient air conditioners to lightweight cars. It also
attacks some wasteful habits, for example, the proliferation of vending
machines or the practice of over-packaging goods. However, it does not specifically
mention the country’s consumption of 11 billion pairs of disposable chopsticks
a year.