10 Japanese Law and Policy on Marine Environment Protection …
193
Although the Act itself does not regulate the generation of marine litter directly, it is
better than nothing in the context of preventing marine litter pollution.
90
Moreover, in 2018, this Act was amended and renamed as ‘the Act on Promoting
the Treatment of Debris Washed Ashore Affecting the Conservation of Good Coastal
Landscapes and Environments, and Marine Environments to Protect Beautiful and
Varied Nature (emphasis added).’ Consequently, the conservation of the marine environment became one of the purposes of the Act (Art. 1). In addition, the scope of
‘Litters Washed Ashore’ was expanded to incorporate marine litter in general (Art.
2). Furthermore, to respond to the marine litter issue, it emphasizes the promotion of
the 3R Policy (Art. 5), illustrates the problems of using microplastics and the difficulty of managing them (Art. 6), obliges private individuals to refrain from using
microplastics (Art. 11), and emphasizes the importance of international cooperation
(Art. 28).
91
At the 4th meeting of the United Nations Environment Assembly held in March
2019, Japan argued that ‘to combat marine plastic litter, the important thing is how
to prevent plastic leakage into the ocean. There is absolutely no need to restrain
our economic activities.’
92 This position is different from the position of the EU,
which attempted to introduce stricter regulations on single-use plastics.
93 However,
Japan also argued that ‘(a)ll the nations and stakeholders must work together on such
measures as sound waste management, recovery of marine litter, 3Rs, innovation and
international cooperation’.
94 Moreover, together with Norway and Sri Lanka, Japan
supported the resolutions to strengthen ‘global governance on marine plastic litter
and microplastics.’
95
Furthermore, as preparation for hosting the G20 Summit in June 2019, Japan
adopted the ‘Resource Circulation Strategy for Plastics’ in May 2019.
96 Then, in
the G20 Summit, Japan, as a hosting State, successfully contributed to produce the
following two outcomes. First, the G20 Osaka leaders’ declaration introduced ‘Osaka
Blue Ocean Vision,’ which ‘aims to reduce additional pollution by marine plastic
90 For the details of this act, see Keisuke Takano, ‘The Enactment of Law for the Promotion of
Marine Litter Disposal: Process and Meanings’, Kaetsu University Research Review, Vol. 55 No.
22 (2013), pp. 15–28 (in Japanese).
91 MOE, ‘A Comparison Table Showing the New and Old Versions of the Text of the Bill to Partially
Amend the Litters Washed Ashore Act’, available at https://www.env.go.jp/water/marirne_litter/02_
4shinkyu.pdf (last visited 21 May 2019) (in Japanese).
92 UNEA, ‘National Statement of Japan at the fourth session of the United Nation Environment
Assembly’, available at http://web.unep.org/environmentassembly/node/42517 (last visited 21 May
2019).
93 Reloop, ‘Update on Europe’s New Waste Legislation: Single Use Plastics Directive’, available
at https://reloopplatform.eu/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/SUPD-Backgrounder.pdf (last visited 21
May 2019).
94 UNEA, supra note 92.
95 Resolution adopted by the United Nations Environment Assembly on 15 March 2019,
(UNEP/EA.4/Res.6). See also ‘Summary of the Fourth Session of the United Nations Environment
Assembly: 11–15 March 2019’, Earth Negotiations Bulletin, Vol. 16, No. 153 (2019), p. 6.
96 MOE, ‘Annual Report on the Environment in Japan 2019’, p. 18, available at http://www.env.go.
jp/en/wpaper/2019/pdf/2019_all.pdf (last visited 22 May 2020).
193
Although the Act itself does not regulate the generation of marine litter directly, it is
better than nothing in the context of preventing marine litter pollution.
90
Moreover, in 2018, this Act was amended and renamed as ‘the Act on Promoting
the Treatment of Debris Washed Ashore Affecting the Conservation of Good Coastal
Landscapes and Environments, and Marine Environments to Protect Beautiful and
Varied Nature (emphasis added).’ Consequently, the conservation of the marine environment became one of the purposes of the Act (Art. 1). In addition, the scope of
‘Litters Washed Ashore’ was expanded to incorporate marine litter in general (Art.
2). Furthermore, to respond to the marine litter issue, it emphasizes the promotion of
the 3R Policy (Art. 5), illustrates the problems of using microplastics and the difficulty of managing them (Art. 6), obliges private individuals to refrain from using
microplastics (Art. 11), and emphasizes the importance of international cooperation
(Art. 28).
91
At the 4th meeting of the United Nations Environment Assembly held in March
2019, Japan argued that ‘to combat marine plastic litter, the important thing is how
to prevent plastic leakage into the ocean. There is absolutely no need to restrain
our economic activities.’
92 This position is different from the position of the EU,
which attempted to introduce stricter regulations on single-use plastics.
93 However,
Japan also argued that ‘(a)ll the nations and stakeholders must work together on such
measures as sound waste management, recovery of marine litter, 3Rs, innovation and
international cooperation’.
94 Moreover, together with Norway and Sri Lanka, Japan
supported the resolutions to strengthen ‘global governance on marine plastic litter
and microplastics.’
95
Furthermore, as preparation for hosting the G20 Summit in June 2019, Japan
adopted the ‘Resource Circulation Strategy for Plastics’ in May 2019.
96 Then, in
the G20 Summit, Japan, as a hosting State, successfully contributed to produce the
following two outcomes. First, the G20 Osaka leaders’ declaration introduced ‘Osaka
Blue Ocean Vision,’ which ‘aims to reduce additional pollution by marine plastic
90 For the details of this act, see Keisuke Takano, ‘The Enactment of Law for the Promotion of
Marine Litter Disposal: Process and Meanings’, Kaetsu University Research Review, Vol. 55 No.
22 (2013), pp. 15–28 (in Japanese).
91 MOE, ‘A Comparison Table Showing the New and Old Versions of the Text of the Bill to Partially
Amend the Litters Washed Ashore Act’, available at https://www.env.go.jp/water/marirne_litter/02_
4shinkyu.pdf (last visited 21 May 2019) (in Japanese).
92 UNEA, ‘National Statement of Japan at the fourth session of the United Nation Environment
Assembly’, available at http://web.unep.org/environmentassembly/node/42517 (last visited 21 May
2019).
93 Reloop, ‘Update on Europe’s New Waste Legislation: Single Use Plastics Directive’, available
at https://reloopplatform.eu/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/SUPD-Backgrounder.pdf (last visited 21
May 2019).
94 UNEA, supra note 92.
95 Resolution adopted by the United Nations Environment Assembly on 15 March 2019,
(UNEP/EA.4/Res.6). See also ‘Summary of the Fourth Session of the United Nations Environment
Assembly: 11–15 March 2019’, Earth Negotiations Bulletin, Vol. 16, No. 153 (2019), p. 6.
96 MOE, ‘Annual Report on the Environment in Japan 2019’, p. 18, available at http://www.env.go.
jp/en/wpaper/2019/pdf/2019_all.pdf (last visited 22 May 2020).