In October 2007, the Ministry of the Environment released a report on its draft vision of Japan's future environment and society in the year 2050. The planned vision has been under development since June 2006, after the Cabinet approved the third Basic Environment Plan in April 2006, which clarified the need for a long-term vision for environmental strategies over many decades.

The vision report projected that in 2050, the Japanese working population would be smaller than now due to an aging society and a decline in total population, while diverse working conditions and the range of choice for ideal working styles would increase employment rates among women and elderly people. The Japanese enterprise would have become a top leader in the world for being environmentally friendly.

In the agricultural sector, an expansion of effective management and efficient production would have increased its profitability and supply safe and healthy products. Biomass wastes would be effectively used, and waste products would be totally collected and recycled into new resources/energies. Farm and mountain villages would be revitalized, and "satoyama" woodlands would be well managed. Moreover, there would still remain large areas around urban cities containing rich, diverse ecosystems.

The report went on to project that the share of renewable energies, such as wind power generation, solar power generation, and use of photovoltaic energy, would have grown significantly, and efficient use of nuclear plants using safe technologies would have established low-carbon electricity supply systems. It would also be very common to have "zero-energy housing," "200-year houses," and "long-life offices," each with solar power generators or solar water heaters as standard equipment. In order to begin implementing the plan, however, the ministry's report said it is essential to adopt the policies and measures necessary as soon as possible.



Posted: 2008/03/12 03:50:33 PM

TAG Government , Other