tokyo

Proposed Japanese legislation to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions has come under criticism for lacking measures necessary to ensure compliance by industry.

The bill, drawn up by the Environment Agency and now under consideration in parliament, provides a basic framework for Japan's emissions cuts. It is thought to be the first of its kind to be submitted by one of the signatory nations to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change after last December's meeting in Kyoto.

The bill would require both the central and prefectural governments to draw up plans to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, and to make frequent reports on their progress. It does not, however, require industry — the largest emitter of greenhouse gases — either to disclose emission levels or to draw up plans for effective reduction of such gases.

Hiroshi Oki, Japan's environment minister and chairman of the Kyoto conference, said in a statement last week that the proposed legislation “cannot be rated 100 per cent”. But it nevertheless “contains measures which are realistic at present”, he said.

Environment agency officials insist that the significance of the bill lies in its suggestion that companies should adopt ‘self-regulatory measures’. But critics such as members of the Kiko Forum, a federation of environmental groups, argue that Japan is unlikely to achieve its target — a six per cent cut from 1990 levels — by relying on industry's goodwill.

The preliminary draft of the bill, which would have imposed stricter measures on industry including mandatory reporting of plans for reduction of emissions, was heavily revised after it met resistance from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) and industrial lobbyists. MITI says energy conservation legislation already provides measures for emissions reduction. But the energy-reduction bill does not specify measures to be taken on greenhouse gases, and does not apply to all of Japan's industry.