Japanese Climate Change Policy: Moving Beyond the Kyoto Process

Despite its potential to become a leader in international negotiations on climate change, Japan has not played an assertive role in this field since the third conference of the parties (COP 3) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held in Kyoto in 1997. Focusing on Japanese climate change mitigation policy, this study uses the process-tracing method to examine the reasons why Japan relinquished its leadership and initiative internationally. Since overcoming severe pollution problems in the 1960’s and 1970’s, Japan has maintained a technological lead in pollution-abatement and energy-efficient technologies. This chapter demonstrates how unfavourable marginal abatement costs in comparison with those of EU member states and the United States have dictated a regression in Japan’s climate change policy discourse. A lack of strong and stable political leadership on climate change through this period has also allowed well-organized economic interests and the economy ministry to solidify an industry-oriented policy coalition. With the advent of the new Democratic Party of Japan-led administration in September 2009, however, Japan has begun to move back into its natural position as a vital force in international climate change negotiations.