The Rising Challenges of Reducing Air Pollution and

Mitigating the Climate Change in Japan – Strategies for

Improving Air Quality and Decreasing the Carbon Emissions
Levels
This essay is aimed at providing data which would help researchers with the actions required to
enhance air quality in Japan as well as reducing the effects of Climate change while highlighting the
existing and future challenges. Furthermore, the objective in this report is using authenticated data
provided to help show the current and future challenges of the Air Quality Levels in Japan. The
development of air pollution prevention strategies was assessed, as well as the patterns in air pollution
in Japan during 1970 through 2020. A particular focus on the airs’ pollution concentration, the ozone
layer as well as compounds associated that have been examined for the last 30 years in a quantitative
discussion. A discovery showing that PM 2.5 had massive concentrations dropped with its Elemental
emission carbon being the competent that showed great reduction was by Japanese researchers.
Domestic anthropogenic emissions and atmospheric concentrations for NOx and SO2 have a linear
connection, showing that pollution control efforts have a direct impact on concentration decrease.
Organic carbon concentrations have not changed much in comparison to other components, indicating
that VOC emissions as precursors, in particular, need to be decreased. Previous air pollution incidents
are also summarized, as is the impact of the decreased economy activities as a result of COVID-19 on
air pollution concentrations in Japan.

One of the Environments main ‘risk factors’ which impacts ecosystems, the climate change, and
human health is air pollution. According to WHO, World Health Organization, 7 million fatalities
worldwide occurred in 2016 as a result of air pollution (World Health Organization). Combustion
releases a variety of atmospheric pollutants, including CO2, some of which have radiative power that
alters the planet's radiation balance(ipcc, 2014). Massive citizen outrage concerning issues such as
global warming in the 1960s prompted the federal government to adopt the strongest pollutant
regulation in existence. In Japan, the present and future difficulties of improving air quality and
mitigating the effects of climate change are important. Cities such as Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya have
some of the world's most polluted air. To lower emissions and create green resources such as solar
power and biofuels, the nation is consistently financing towards cutting-edge technology.
Additionally, it has pledged billions of dollars to the Green Climate Fund, an international program
that aids poor nations in coping with global warming and gaining access to renewable energy
technologies. In Japan, the emissions of various pollutants were drastically diminished as such actions
and a global crisis spurred from the shocks of OPEC oil price. As a result, national attention has
shifted beyond the climate and more towards industrial revival.

There aren't many publications that give a thorough review of the long-term relationship between
emissions and air pollution levels in Japan. Up until 2012, Wakamatsu's analysis of the correlations
between the implementation of laws, mostly on vehicles, as well as polluting revealed that the
implementation of stronger rules resulted in a drop in air pollutant clusters (Wakamatsu et al., 2013)
The correlation between emissions and air pollution clusters, however, was not examined
quantitatively .From 1980 to 2010, Kannari reviewed the connections between vehicle emissions in
relation to the concentrated air pollutant. (陽容 & 和夫, 2013) It was proposed in this research that,
while the clusters of air pollutants such as NOx and CO fall in echos to a reduction in vehicle
emissions, there are some chemicals so that the effect of non-vehicle sources and second hand
production processes is considerable (e.g., NMHC, PM). There must be ongoing research to
accurately pinpoint the manmade and bio-based causes of air pollution. For assessing the impact of
anti-pollution initiatives on patterns in repository associations, compromises within the chemical
structure of PM2.5 throughout the period (namely, the ratios of synthetic, artificial, organic carbon,
and chemical compounds) would be enormously beneficial. (Wakamatsu et al., 2013)

The climate of Japan is humid, including distinctive phases. The average yearly temperature ranges
around 5 and 25 °C, and its average yearly amount of rainfall ranges between 800 up to approximately
4000 mm as can be seen in Figure below.(Yuko Ogawa-Onishi a et al., 2010)

Figure 1 Ambient Air Pollution

In 2011, there were one thousand five hundred nine environmental air pollution surveillance units in
Japan.The atmospheric air in and close to junctions, streets, and sides of streets that are thought to be
contaminated by exhaust fumes are frequently and proficiently monitored by curbside air pollution
surveillance units as shown in figure (6?) (Wakamatsu et al., 2013). These statistics are helpful for
making decisions about unless to release authoritative air pollution alerts and proclaim air pollution
dangers, assessing the effectiveness of air quality benchmarks in reducing air pollution, grasping the
processes of residual air pollutants composition, assessing the effectiveness of restrictions in reducing
air pollution, as well as predicting outcomes in air pollutant patterns.
 Figure 2 Distribution of Air Quality

The countries' efforts to cut CO2 emissions levels and achieve "carbon neutrality" have significantly
increased. The Japan SAE ,Society for Atmospheric Environment, joined the PUA ,Public Utility
Association, as an established organization in 2012. In order to enhance both local and worldwide
ambient climatic factors, global collaboration as well as partnership across the university,
governmental, and corporate sectors can become necessary. (Wakamatsu et al., 2013)

As air pollutants are frequently dissipated alongside Carbon dioxide from burning, zero emission
measures can have a beneficial or detrimental impact on air pollution. This is critical to maintain
analyzing this problem to guarantee that it already produces a positive impact along CO neutrality and
air pollution. (Ito et al., 2021)

In the near future, no significant changes to Japan's universal program of climate policy are
anticipated. Measures to include significant climate principles in organizational project management
systems will likely be undermined by the predominance of special circles that support industrial
prosperity and the helplessness of ones that support nature. As Japan's global impact rises and its
business strategy is imitated overseas, the long-term causes of climate change of such a circumstance
are significant both inside and out of Japan. although it has frequently been stated that solely a
country with a strong economy can manage to safeguard its climate. There has been several efforts to
enhance air quality. The level of pollution is still significant, though, which contributes to global
warming, as a result of industrialization and the drive to improve our way of life. Matter of fact,
widespread environmental deterioration will eventually lead to a reduction in economic generation.
Furthermore, with climate impacts on a worldwide scale, it is argued to be necessary to cease
invoking regional differences and societal practices as justifications for ineffective pollution control.
All in all, Japan is progressing towards the goal of lowering greenhouse gases emissions and
enhancing air quality. The nation has made notable progress in all aspects, but a great deal remains to
be accomplished. Although there is still a problem with air pollution, it is being addressed by the
authorities.

References
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Wakamatsu, S., Morikawa, T. and Ito, A. (2013) “Air Pollution Trends in Japan between 1970 and
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陽容 神成 and 和夫 國領 (2013) 日本における自動車由来大気汚染物質排出の 30 年史, 大気環

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Wakamatsu, S., Morikawa, T. and Ito, A. (2013) “Air Pollution Trends in Japan between
1970 and 2012 and impact of Urban Air Pollution Countermeasures,” Asian Journal of Atmospheric
Environment, 7(4), pp. 177–190. Available at: https://doi.org/10.5572/ajae.2013.7.4.177.