A Gap Analysis in Selected Asian Countries, 3R Knowledge Hub ...

BACKGROUND
Located in the Pacific Ocean with a population
of about 127 million Japan has a total land area
of about 380,000 km 2 . The per capita GDP of the
country is estimated at US$ 33,100. Excellent
government-industry cooperation, strong work
ethics, and mastery of high technology, has
helped Japan become the second most
technologically powerful economy in the
world. Japan’s industrial sector is heavily
dependent on imported raw materials and
fuels.
With limited land and resources, the country is
still a leader among the Asian countries. The
Government of Japan, with its proactive
initiatives, has been able to cope with resource
constraints while leading the market in all
walks of life. The 3R initiative, itself is
considered as the brainchild of Japan.
PRIORITY AREAS
After the economic recession in the last decade,
the Japanese government’s main concern was to
advance its economic development resulting in
policy-enhanced mass production. As a result,
the amount of discharged waste increased
every year and disposal sites were predicted to
be full in a few years. This situation led the
Japanese government to shift their policy and
make the society more environmentally sound.
The Fundamental Law for Establishing a Sound
Material-Cycle Society was enacted in 2000.
Following this several laws concerning
recycling were enacted and enforced.
Subsequently, the 3R policy was enacted to
create a sustainable society. Despite Japan’s
movement toward a closed loop, recycle-based
society, the amount of industrial waste has
3.8
Japan
remained at around 400 million tons per year
during the last 10 years.
An issue that has become the focus of Japan is
the disposal of its industrial waste. The Waste
Management and Public Cleansing Law of 1970
regulates the methods of disposal of certain
wastes emitted by factories and businesses, such
as soot, sludge, waste oil, discarded plastic, and
other wastes. Industrial wastes discharged in
Japan amounted to 412 million tons in fiscal
2003, which is about eight times the volume of
general waste from homes and offices. Though
the country has been able to successfully
implement a 3R-based society, its industrial
waste is still at stake posing grave threats.
Therefore, it is essential that the industrial
waste in the country be treated and handled
with top priority towards achieving a holistic,
closed material cycle country.
Chapter 3: Country Analysis
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