MOE > Global Environment > International Environmental Cooperation HOME > Bilateral / Regional Cooperation > The Tripartite Environment Ministers Meeting among Japan, China and Korea(TEMM)
Japan, China and the Republic of Korea are closely linked both in geography and history. The three countries face common environmental issues because they share common air and waters. With the view to promoting a candid exchange of views and strengthening cooperation on environmental issues not only for the region but the entire globe, the Environment Ministers of the three countries have been meeting annually at the Tripartite Environment Ministers Meeting among China, Japan, and Korea (TEMM) since 1999.
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| Year | Venue | Outline |
|---|---|---|
| TEMM 1 (1999) |
Seoul | Exchanged candid views to enhance environmental cooperation on the Northeast Asian and global environmental issues. |
| TEMM 2 (2000) |
Beijing | The three Ministers reaffirmed the TEMM as an important forum for fostering regional environmental cooperation and sustainable development. |
| Shared views that they should contribute to the success of important regional and global environmental meetings, including the 4th Ministerial Conference on Environment and Development in Asia and the Pacific (MCED), and the comprehensive review of Agenda 21 to be scheduled in 2002. | ||
| TEMM 3 (2001) |
Tokyo | Exchanged views on recent progress in environment management in their respective countries and in the Northeast Asian region. |
| Noted with great pleasure the high recognition given to the progress of TEMM at the Trilateral Meeting of the Leaders of Korea, China, and Japan which was held in November 2000. | ||
| TEMM 4 (2002) |
Seoul | The three Ministers observed that environmental protection will be key to shaping the course of the 21st century. In this vein, they anticipated that the international community will make significant efforts to achieve sustainable development. |
| The three Ministers agreed that providing information on TEMM to other regional and global environmental meetings would prove valuable to the international environmental endeavor. | ||
| TEMM 5 (2003) |
Beijing | The three Ministers are encouraged by the Joint Declaration on the Promotion of the Tripartite Cooperation among the three countries, signed by leaders of the three countries in Bali, October 2003. They also recalled the significance attached to TEMM for its leading role in the field of regional environmental cooperation by the leaders of the three countries at the 2001 Trilateral Summit. |
| The three Ministers agreed that TEMM should play more important role for enhancing regional and global environmental cooperation in order to realize the contents of the Declaration. | ||
| TEMM 6 (2004) |
Tokyo | The three Ministers reemphasized their common view that TEMM was an important meeting for encouraging regional environmental cooperation and sustainable development. |
| Exchanged opinions on the progress of the environmental actions which had been made recently in each country and in the Northeast Asian region. | ||
| TEMM 7 (2005) |
Seoul | The three Ministers welcomed the outline of China’s next five-year plan that clearly expresses the intention to establish an environmentally-friendly society based on the concept of scientific development. |
| The three Ministers recognized that TEMM had played an important role for promoting regional environmental cooperation and achieving sustainable development in the Northeast Asian region. They assured that the three countries would continue to work together on various regional issues. | ||
| TEMM 8 (2006) |
Beijing | The three Ministers welcomed the “Three Transformations for China’s Environmental Protection under the New Situation” put forward by China, “Integrated Improvement of the Environment, Economy and Society” by Japan and “the Comprehensive National Environmental Plan” by Korea that clearly express the intention to integrate environmental protection into economic and social development. |
| Introduced progress made on environmental policies in each country. Exchanged opinions on global environmental issues such as climate change and other environmental issues in the Northeast Asian region including dust and sandstorm as well as acid deposition. Discussed the future course of TEMM. | ||
| TEMM 9 (2007) |
Toyama | The three Ministers welcomed the “Environmental Strategy for the 21st Century” put forward by Japan, the “National Strategy for Sustainable Development” by Korea, and the “applying Scientific Outlook on Development to build up an environmentally-friendly society” by China, all three of which clearly express the intention to integrate environmental protection into economic and social development. |
| Introduced the progress of environmental policies in each country. Exchanged opinions on global environmental issues such as climate change and other environmental issues in the Northeast Asian region such as dust and sandstorm as well as photochemical smog. Reviewed TEMM projects and discussed the future course of TEMM. | ||
| TEMM 10 (2008) |
Jeju | The three Ministers welcomed the “Environmental Policy Directions & Tasks for Green Growth & Higher Quality of life” put forward by Korea, the efforts of “pollution abatement” and “rehabilitating the ecologically vulnerable rivers and lakes” guided by the “Scientific Outlook on Development” by China, and the “Clean Asia Initiative” and the “Action Plan for Low-Carbon Society” promoted by Japan, all three of which clearly express the intention to integrate environmental protection into economic and social development. |
| Exchanged information on recent environmental policies in three countries, discussed actions for environmental issues in the Northeast Asian region and future course of cooperation. Also, discussions took place towards establishment of low-carbon societies at the special session. | ||
| TEMM 11 (2009) |
Beijing | The three Ministers reached consensus that TEMM was of vital importance in promoting regional environmental cooperation and achieving sustainable development in the Region. They expressed appreciation for the achievements on priority areas in the last 10 years. |
| Discussed direction of environmental policies in facing global financial crisis, priority areas of environmental cooperation for the three countries as well as the future role of the ministerial meeting. | ||
| TEMM 12 (2010) |
Hokkaido (Chitose, Tomakomai) |
The three Ministers reconfirmed that TEMM was of vital importance in promoting regional environmental cooperation and achieving sustainable development in the Northeast Asian region. |
| Adopted the “Tripartite Joint Action Plan on Environmental Cooperation”. Decided 10 priority areas and approved as prioritized cooperation areas over the next 5 years. | ||
| TEMM 13 (2011) |
Busan | Introduced the domestic environmental policies of the three countries and discussed major policies for addressing global and regional environmental issues. Reviewed the progress of the Tripartite Joint Action Plan. |
| Exchanged views on results of the Student and Business Forums held on the occasion of the TEMM13. | ||
| TEMM 14 (2012) |
Beijing | Shared views on the progress of the domestic environmental policies of the three countries and discussed environmental issues including climate change, Trans-boundary air pollution such as dust and sand storms (DSS) and environmental impacts of disasters on the basis of the lessons learnt from the Great East Japan Earthquake. Also discussed the results of the TEMM forums. |
| Welcomed Japan’s proposal to hold the Seminar on countermeasures against disasters, based on the experiences of the Great East Japan Earthquake. Agreed to commend people who contributed to environmental cooperation among three countries in the TEMM15. | ||
| TEMM 15 (2013) |
Kitakyushu | The three countries agreed to newly establish a policy dialogue on air pollution. In addition, in light of the importance of the issue of air pollution to the sustainable development of not only Japan, China and Korea, but to Asia as a whole, the three countries agreed to promote cooperation to further utilise existing regional programmes and measures. |
| Active discussions took place on "International Cooperation towards the Expansion of Green Markets and Promotion of the Green Economy" and "Our Environmentally Sustainable Cities (ESC)." In addition, Mr. Hajime Akimoto of the Japan Environmental Sanitation Center was recognized for his distinguished service to environmental cooperation in Japan, China and Korea. | ||
| TEMM 16 (2014) |
Daegu | The three countries adopted nine priority areas for tripartite environmental cooperation for the period from 2015 to 2019. In addition, in light of the importance of the issue of air pollution, the three countries agreed to further promote cooperation. |
| Active discussions took place on the "Active Role of Environmental Industry in Environmental Cooperation in the Northeast Asian region" and "Youth Aspiration for Sustainability: Be Creative and Initiative." In addition, Dr. NISHIKAWA Masataka, Environmental Safety Center, Tokyo University of Science, Japan was awarded for his contribution to environmental cooperation in Japan, China and Korea. | ||
| TEMM 17 (2015) |
Shanghai | The Ministers adopted the Tripartite Joint Action Plan on Environmental Cooperation (2015-2019), and agreed to strengthen environmental cooperation activities in each area. |
| Active discussions took place on "Building Connections with Nature" and "Strengthening the Exchanges and Cooperation in Environmental Technology and Industry, Promote the Development and Transformation of Regional Green Economy." In addition, Prof. ABE Osamu, Rikkyo University, Japan was awarded for his contribution to environmental cooperation in Japan, China and Korea. | ||
| TEMM 18 (2016) |
Shizuoka | The Ministers emphasized the importance to implement "the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development" and "the Paris Agreement," and also affirmed the sharing of experience and policies on the waste generated from natural disasters. |
| Dr. SUGAYA Yoshio, Environmental Science Center for Health and Environmental Risk Research, National Institute for Environmental Studies was awarded for his contribution to environmental cooperation in Japan, China and Korea. | ||
| TEMM 19 (2017) |
Suwon | The Ministers recognized that the three countries should cooperate to facilitate the global efforts in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and also confirmed the progress of the tripartite cooperative projects under the nine priority areas contained in the Tripartite Joint Action Plan on Environmental Cooperation 2015-2019 adopted at TEMM17 in 2015. |
| Dr. YOSHIKAWA Ken, Professor Emeritus, Okayama University was awarded for his contribution to environmental cooperation in Japan, China and Korea. | ||
| TEMM 20 (2018) |
Suzhou | The Ministers reviewed achievements of the 20 years of cooperation among the three countries and exchanged views on the future outlook of TEMM. The Ministers confirmed to further strengthen joint efforts and collaboration under the Tripartite Joint Action Plan on Environmental Cooperation (TJAP). |
| Dr. Hidefumi Imura, Professor of Yokohama City University and Mr. Toshihiko Goto, Chief Executive of Sustainability Forum Japan were awarded for their contribution to environmental cooperation in Japan, China and Korea. | ||
| TEMM 21 (2019) |
Kitakyushu | The meeting reviewed the previous implementation of and the latest development in tripartite environmental cooperation, agreed to set new priorities for the next Tripartite Joint Action Plan (2020-2024), and adopted a Joint Communiqué. Furthermore, the ministers welcomed the progress of the China-Japan-Korea Joint Research Project on Cities towards Decarbonization and Sustainable Development and confirmed the importance of promoting decarbonization at city level. The three countries agreed to discuss the next Tripartite Joint Action Plan (2020-2024) at the next TEMM. Japan respectively had bilateral meetings with China and Korea and discussed ways to accelerate environmental cooporation. |
| TEMM 22 (2021) |
Online (Hosted by Korea) |
The three countries exchanged views on the progress of their respective environmental policies, global and regional environmental challenges, and the progress of the second Tripartite Joint Action Plan on Environmental Cooperation. The countries adopted the Tripartite Joint Action Plan on Environmental Cooperation (2021-2025) and the Joint Communiqué as outcomes of the meeting. The new Joint Action Plan (2021-2025) sets forth new principles for the future implementation of cooperative activities by the three countries, such as contributing to global initiatives including the SDGs and the Paris Agreement, and expanding synergies among priority areas. |
| TEMM 23 (2022) |
Online (Hosted by China) |
The meeting exchanged views on environmental policies of each country and the progress in implementing the Tripartite Joint Action Plan regarding global and regional environmental challenges, and adopted a Joint Communiqué. |
| Results of the 23th Tripartite Environment Ministers Meeting among China, Japan and Korea | ||
| TEMM 24 (2023) |
Aichi | TEMM24, chaired by ITO Shintaro, Minister of the Environment of Japan, was held in-person for the first time in four years. Environment ministers of the three countries exchanged views on key environmental policies of each country, including climate change measures, contributions to the upcoming UNFCCC COP28, measures for air pollution such as PM2.5 and DSS, implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) and measures for invasive alien species such as fire ants, measures for plastic pollution, and initiatives for circular economy. The Ministers also reviewed progress in implementing the Tripartite Joint Action Plan adopted at TEMM22. Based on the discussions, the Joint Communiqué was adopted and signed by the ministers of the three countries. An awards ceremony for outstanding contributions to trilateral environmental cooperation was also held. From Japan, Dr. SHIMIZU Atsushi, Chief Senior Researcher of the National Institute for Environmental Studies, was awarded for his contribution to the research of DSS. |
