Resources for International Cooperation

  • Evaluation
    • Measures concerning vehicles
      • The performance of Japan in meeting the stringent emission standards adopted for automobiles is remarkable. The targets, attainable through engine improvements and the use of three-way catalytic converters, were achieved through the combined efforts of automobile manufacturers and government guidance. They were effective not only in reducing air pollution but also in improving energy efficiency and strengthening the Japanese automobile industry's international competitiveness.
      • The lead content in regular gasoline was gradually reduced starting in 1970, and production of lead-free gasoline started in 1975. Today all gasoline, including premium, is lead-free. Gasoline passenger cars are almost all equipped with catalytic converters.
      • Despite these achievements, full compliance with the stringent NOx air quality standards has never been achieved in metropolitan areas. NOx emissions from trucks are considered the main reason.
      • There are no specific regulations on evaporative emissions (e.g. benzene) during transport from refineries to filling stations and at stations, though vehicle evaporative emissions are regulated through canister installation.
      • Problems with noise caused by motor vehicles are increasing. Quality standards are frequently exceeded, particularly in urban areas. Stricter noise emission standards recommended by the Central Council for Environmental Pollution Control are under discussion.
    • Infrastructure planning
      • Road capacity is considered insufficient and road quality below standard with respect to safety and environment.
      • Shortcomings in past planning of urban transport systems have been recognised in recent years and new planning methods and targets, including environmental criteria, are now applied, as seen in' the Third Long-Term Plan for i the Tokyo Metropolis.
    • Measures to encourage modal shifts
      • In the area of passenger transport, Japan can rely on a set of measures and developments that have led to a high share of public transport and low use of individual cars compared with other OECD countries.
      • Nevertheless, these factors have not prevented a sharp increase in car use. The phenomenon seems to be partly influenced by increases in household income and partly a consequence of government policy to encourage road transport, accompanied by a decline in real fuel prices since the early 1980s and by a decrease in government funds for improving public transport systems.
      • Consequently, attention should be given to the facts that road traffic growth tends to offset the environmental benefits of past policies and that noise and NOx pollution remain major concerns in metropolitan areas.
  • Recommendations
    • A package of incentives and disincentives should be developed to slow or reverse the shift towards more polluting modes of passenger and freight transport. The quality of public transport, while high, should be upgraded. Road construction (e.g. bypasses, intersections) should further help reduce local congestion.
    • Measures to control NOx and particulate matter pollution from diesel vehicles should be strengthened. The target values for noise emissions from trucks should further be reviewed and possibly adjusted to conform to the levels that can be achieved using the best available technology. Japan should also attempt to take the lead in developing emission standards for shuns, and in promoting other emission reduction measures, especially for CO2, NOx, and SO2. Measures to reduce evaporative emissions from gasoline handling should also be considered.
    • A comprehensive transport development plan should be drawn up. It should go beyond existing road infrastructure planning to encompass all transport modes, cover investment as well as management issues, and better integrate environmental concerns. Large transport infrastructure projects should be subject to systematic, early and public environmental impact assessments.