More Companies Agree to Environmental Tax Introduction

Japan's Ministry of the Environment released on December 26, 2008, its survey results, "Eco-Friendly Corporate Activities" for fiscal 2007. According to the results, 40.6 percent of companies agreed or somewhat agreed to the introduction of an environmental tax, outnumbering those who opposed it for the first time since the survey started. With regard to a domestic carbon dioxide emissions trading system, 39.4 percent of the respondents approved the system, far exceeding the 19.9 percent of respondents who were opposed. More companies seem to understand that such measures are necessary as economic strategies against global warming.

Eco-friendly activities have become more popular, as more than 70 percent of companies have established a new corporate environmental policy or have promoted green purchasing. Meanwhile, 35.9 percent of companies have issued environmental reports, slightly down from the 37.8 percent of the previous survey and 27.0 percent have introduced the environmental accounting, down from 29.5 percent.

With regard to the conservation of biodiversity, 13.0 percent of companies regarded this as very important, while 71.4 percent answered that it is important, but has little relation to their business.

This survey has been carried out every year since fiscal 1991, targeting listed companies on the stock exchange and companies with 500 employees or more. Among these companies, 2,819 or 43.5 percent of responses were valid.

- Over 40% of Japanese Companies Agree about Domestic CO2 Emissions Trading (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/027049.html
- Survey Shows Steady Progress in Corporate Eco-Friendly Activities　(Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/026616.html

Posted: 2009/04/18 06:00:15 AM

TAG Manufacturing industry , Non-manufacturing industry , Other , System/Law