日本における地球温暖化対策の法政策 - 福島原発事故後の課題

This study examines Legal Policies of Global Warming Countermeasures and the Challenges after the Explosion of Nuclear Power Plants in Japan. According to the Kyoto Protocol, Japan was classified as one of the mandatory reduction countries to reduce global greenhouse gases. As a result, by the first period of commitments which is in 2012, Japan is obligated to reduce gases by 6% from 1990 levels. After the adoption of the Kyoto Protocol, Japan enacted the Act on Promotion of Global Warming Countermeasures and made efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Post-Kyoto Protocol and Japan's enactment of the Act on Promotion of Global Warming Countermeasures, Japan adopted enhanced measures to combat global warming, including a cap and trade system, but in June of 2010, the proposal was scrapped due to regime change. In March 2011 the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan emerged as a major obstacle to the promotion of global warming countermeasures. Nevertheless, the current regime set up active policy goals and fulfilled the international obligations imposed on the Japanese to reduce global warming. This paper is organized as follows:First, this paper explains legal policies and resulting measures against global warming in Japan. Second, this paper introduces how these measures are organized in the laws after the change in government in 2009 and the 2011 nuclear power plant accident in Fukushima. Finally, this paper suggests the author's opinions about addressing global warming in Japan after the nuclear power plant accident.