The principal aim of the OECD Environmental Performance Review (EPR) programme is to help member and selected partner countries improve their individual and collective performance in environmental management by:
helping countries assess progress in achieving their environmental goals
promoting continuous policy dialogue and peer learning
stimulating greater accountability from governments towards each other and public opinion.
This is the fourth EPR of Japan. It examines the country’s environmental performance since the previous review in 2010. Progress in achieving domestic objectives and international commitments provides the basis for assessing Japan’s environmental performance. Such objectives and commitments may be broad aims, qualitative goals or quantitative targets. A distinction is made between intentions, actions and results. Assessment of environmental performance is also placed within the context of Japan’s historical environmental record, present state of the environment, physical endowment in natural resources, economic conditions and demographic trends.
The OECD is grateful to the Ministry of the Environment for providing information and comments, organising the review mission (9-12 June 2024) and virtual policy mission (15 October 2024), as well as for facilitating contacts inside and outside government institutions. Thanks are also due to all government ministries and agencies, as well as non-governmental stakeholders, that participated in the missions and provided information or comments.
The participation of the representatives of three examining countries – France (Olivier Simon), Korea (Hoseok Kim) and Germany (Alexandra Skinner and Kristin Vorbeck) – is also gratefully acknowledged.
The authors of this report are Ivana Capozza and Sho Yamasaki of the OECD Environment Directorate (Chapter 1) and Tadashi Matsumoto, Mónica Velarde Miranda, Eleanor West and Celia Zuberec of the OECD Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities (Chapter 2), under the co-ordination of Ivana Capozza. Nathalie Girouard and Ivana Capozza provided oversight and guidance. Carla Bertuzzi provided statistical support, while Lydia Servant provided administrative support. Mark Foss copy-edited the report. Fiorella Cianchi provided communications support. Preparation of this report also benefited from inputs and comments from several colleagues of the OECD Secretariat and International Energy Agency.
The OECD Working Party on Environmental Performance discussed the Environmental Performance Review of Japan at its meeting on 12 December 2024. It reviewed and expressed support for the Assessment and Recommendations.