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Precedent, Progress, and Missed Opportunities: Conflict and Debates over Legislating Climate Change Emissions Reductions in Japan

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 March 2025

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Abstract

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This article considers the negotiations and historical context of Japan's two major climate change bills. We find that the political approach to emissions reductions has resulted in non-specific, iterative reduction commitments from 1998, while attempts to introduce reduction schemes or taxes and define specific long-term targets, as in 2010, largely failed due to stalwart opposition from the energy and heavy industry sectors. Negotiations were further complicated by inter-ministry conflict, the often-rotating prime ministership, and the uncertain role of nuclear power. While these earlier efforts and changing international standards laid track for legislative revisions in 2021, their ultimate realization remains uncertain.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2023

References

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