194
M. Seta
litter to zero by 2050’.
97 Second, the G20 Implementation Framework for Actions
on Marine Plastic Litter, which requires G20 members to take voluntary actions to
reduce marine litters and continuously share such activities, was adopted.
98 Base on
this framework, in October 2019, MOE published the ‘G20 Report on Actions against
Marine Plastic Litter: First Information Sharing based on the G20 Implementation
Framework.’
99 In this way, Japan has started to contribute to addressing marine
plastic issues.
10.4 Conclusion
As the examples demonstrated above, the more actively the MOE is involved in
Japanese ocean policies, the more environment-friendly they become. Therefore, the
recent activation of the MOE should be highly evaluated and continue to be promoted.
For this purpose, there are two factors to consider in the MOE’s involvement in the
protection of the marine environment. First, as the development of MPAs and marine
litter legislation demonstrate, recent challenges for the protection of the marine environment are closely related to the protection of the land environment. The Nature
Conservation Act, which was amended to establish an MPA in the Okiai Area, was
initially supposed to be applied to land areas that are vital for nature intending to
conserve such areas. However, such critical areas for nature also exist on the sea,
and the amendment made the Act applicable to oceans. This was why the Act was
employed to establish a new MPA. In the same vein, given the fact that 80% of
marine litter derives from the land,
100 addressing the land problem is essential for
addressing this problem. This is why Japan emphasises the importance of the 3R
policy, which is mainly related to land. Although the MOE might not have much
knowledge and expertise in the ocean, it possesses experience in the operation of the
Nature Conservation Act and 3R policy.
Second, there is a demand from the international environmental community for the
protection of the marine environment. For example, Target 11 of the Aichi Targets,
in which the MOEs of many other States also participate, encouraged Japan to establish MPAs in 10% of its waters. Similarly, as a result of the G7 Toyama Environment Ministers Meeting, Japan became interested in marine plastic issues. In this
context, whether international demand is legally binding seems irrelevant. As the
ocean surrounds Japan, and Japan stresses the principle of international cooperation,
97 ‘G20 Osaka Leaders’ Declaration’, para. 39, available at https://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/
40124/final_g20_osaka_leaders_declaration.pdf (last visited 22 May 2020).
98 MOE, ‘G20 Implementation Framework for Actions on Marine Plastic Litter’, available at https://www.env.go.jp/earth/g20karuizawa/assets/pdf/G20%20Implementation%20Fram
ework%20for%20Actions%20on%20Marine%20Plastic%20Litter.pdf (last visited 22 May 2020).
99 MOE, ‘G20 Report on Actions against Marine Plastic Litter: First Information Sharing based on
the G20 Implementation Framework’, available at https://www.env.go.jp/press/files/jp/112576.pdf
(last visited 22 May 2020).
100 Jambeck, supra note 87, p. 768.
M. Seta
litter to zero by 2050’.
97 Second, the G20 Implementation Framework for Actions
on Marine Plastic Litter, which requires G20 members to take voluntary actions to
reduce marine litters and continuously share such activities, was adopted.
98 Base on
this framework, in October 2019, MOE published the ‘G20 Report on Actions against
Marine Plastic Litter: First Information Sharing based on the G20 Implementation
Framework.’
99 In this way, Japan has started to contribute to addressing marine
plastic issues.
10.4 Conclusion
As the examples demonstrated above, the more actively the MOE is involved in
Japanese ocean policies, the more environment-friendly they become. Therefore, the
recent activation of the MOE should be highly evaluated and continue to be promoted.
For this purpose, there are two factors to consider in the MOE’s involvement in the
protection of the marine environment. First, as the development of MPAs and marine
litter legislation demonstrate, recent challenges for the protection of the marine environment are closely related to the protection of the land environment. The Nature
Conservation Act, which was amended to establish an MPA in the Okiai Area, was
initially supposed to be applied to land areas that are vital for nature intending to
conserve such areas. However, such critical areas for nature also exist on the sea,
and the amendment made the Act applicable to oceans. This was why the Act was
employed to establish a new MPA. In the same vein, given the fact that 80% of
marine litter derives from the land,
100 addressing the land problem is essential for
addressing this problem. This is why Japan emphasises the importance of the 3R
policy, which is mainly related to land. Although the MOE might not have much
knowledge and expertise in the ocean, it possesses experience in the operation of the
Nature Conservation Act and 3R policy.
Second, there is a demand from the international environmental community for the
protection of the marine environment. For example, Target 11 of the Aichi Targets,
in which the MOEs of many other States also participate, encouraged Japan to establish MPAs in 10% of its waters. Similarly, as a result of the G7 Toyama Environment Ministers Meeting, Japan became interested in marine plastic issues. In this
context, whether international demand is legally binding seems irrelevant. As the
ocean surrounds Japan, and Japan stresses the principle of international cooperation,
97 ‘G20 Osaka Leaders’ Declaration’, para. 39, available at https://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/
40124/final_g20_osaka_leaders_declaration.pdf (last visited 22 May 2020).
98 MOE, ‘G20 Implementation Framework for Actions on Marine Plastic Litter’, available at https://www.env.go.jp/earth/g20karuizawa/assets/pdf/G20%20Implementation%20Fram
ework%20for%20Actions%20on%20Marine%20Plastic%20Litter.pdf (last visited 22 May 2020).
99 MOE, ‘G20 Report on Actions against Marine Plastic Litter: First Information Sharing based on
the G20 Implementation Framework’, available at https://www.env.go.jp/press/files/jp/112576.pdf
(last visited 22 May 2020).
100 Jambeck, supra note 87, p. 768.