The Air Environment Task Force of the Central Environment Council, an advisory panel to Japan's Minister of the Environment, invited public comment between February 23 and March 30, 2005 on a draft of its Eighth Report on Future Measures to Reduce Vehicle Pollutant Emissions.

The report recommends that limits on exhaust emissions in 2009 be reviewed in order to realistically meet and maintain environmental standards for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and suspended particulate matter (SPM) in fiscal 2010. The report also proposes stricter regulations – the "2009 Targets" - on diesel vehicles.

Particulate matter (PM) emissions are a focus of anti-pollution efforts in urban areas, and the target is to attain levels 99 percent lower than those current in 1994 when no regulations were in effect. The new target aims to realize "PM-free" diesel vehicles by reducing PM emissions below the minimum quantity measured by present testing methods. The report also calls for a 96 percent reduction in nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions compared to the unregulated levels current in 1974. Thus, the proposed regulations on diesel vehicles will be fundamentally as stringent as those on gasoline-powered vehicles.

After finalizing the report based on comments received from the public, the Council will submit it to the Minister of the Environment. If implemented as planned in 2009-2010, the 2009 Targets will be the most stringent in the world.



Posted: 2005/05/18 11:49:57 PM
Japanese version

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