EIA in Japan: the benefits of early public participation

Tetsuya Kamijo

Chapter 21 in Handbook of Environmental Impact Assessment, 2022, pp 366-382 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: Public participation plays an important role in environmental impact assessment (EIA). While Japan's EIA system institutionalizes public participation, there remain some drawbacks such as the passive attitude of proponents, the low public concern, and therefore a low level of participation overall. This chapter aims to clarify the most important factors for improving public participation to lead better decision-making. More specifically, it reviews the progress of Japan's EIA legislation (the 1984 Cabinet Decision, 1997 EIA Act, and 2011 EIA Act) and explores the effectiveness of public participation in three case studies. The chapter examines the particular effects of four factors (discussion of alternatives, information disclosure, NGO contributions, and the role of expert meetings) in the success of public participation in the Japanese EIA system. Overall, it is found that, to promote better decision-making, proponents need to discuss alternatives at an early stage with the public.

Keywords: Economics and Finance; Environment; Politics and Public Policy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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