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Breakdown of Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Japan (FY2020)
Globally, fossil fuel combustion produces massive amountsof anthropogenic greenhouse gases, particularly CO2,
which accounts for approximately 91% of Japan’s total
greenhouse gas emissions in FY 2020.

CO2
Total greenhouse gasemissions (FY2020):

90.8%

1,150 million tonnes

NF3 0.03%
SF6 0.2%
PFCs 0.3%
HFCs 4.5%
N2O 1.7%
CH4 2.5%

CO2 equivalent

Source: Ministry of the Environment

Greenhouse Gas Emissions in JapanJapan’s total greenhouse gas emissions in FY 2020 were equivalent to approximately 1,150 million tonnes of CO2, a
5.1% drop from the previous year. A possible cause of the decrease in emissions is the decrease in energy consumption due
to the COVID-19 pandemic.

NF3
SF6PFCsHFCs
N2O
CH4
CO2

1500 (mil. t-CO2 equivalent)Greenhouse gas emissions

1400

1300

1200

1100

1000

0

1990

1995

2000

2005

2010

2015

2020
(FY)

Source: Ministry of the Environment

27

GHG Emissions in Japan
Additional materials provide more details about the GHG Emissions in Japan.

Breakdown of CO2 Emissions by Sector
The sector with the largest CO2 emissions in indirect emissions in FY 2020 was industries sector, accounting for
approximately 34.0% of Japan’s total.
Commercial and other sectors(Commerce, Services and Offices etc.)

Energy Conversion sector

Industries sector

Transport sector

40.4%

24.3%

17.0%

(Power Plant etc.)

Directemissions

Indirectemissions

7.5%(Plant, etc.)

34.0%(Automobiles etc.)

17.7%

1,044 million tonnes
Total CO2 Emissions FY2020

17.4%

5.5%

5.3% 4.1% 3.0% 0.3%

15.9%

4.1% 3.0% 0.3%

Residential sector
Industrial Processes and Product Use(Consumption of limestone etc.)

Waste(Incineration of plastic and waste oil etc.)

Others(Leakage from fuel etc.)
Source: Ministry of the Environment

Energy-related CO2 Emissions by Sector (Indirect Emissions)
Plotting energy-related CO2 emissions by sector reveals that emissions in every sector decreased from FY 2013.
Figures in parentheses
show change {%} fromFY 2013

(mil. t-CO2)
600

Industries sector(Plant etc.)
464 356{23.3% decrease}

CO2 emissions amount

500

400

Transport sector(Automobiles etc.)
224 185 {17.6% decrease}

300

Commercial and other sectors(Commerce, Services and Offices etc.)
237 182 {23.2% decrease}200

10001990

1995

2000

2005

2010

Residential sector
208* Excluding statistical discrepancy from power and heat allocation.
Source: Ministry of the Environment

166 {19.8% decrease}

2015

Energy Conversion sector(Power Plant etc.)
106 82 {22.7% decrease}*

2020
(FY)

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Threatened Species in Japan
With an increasing number of species being put on the Red List, which publicizes threatened species, it is clear thatthe circumstances of wild fauna and flora in Japan continue to be severe.

(Reported in March 2020)

Threatened Species

Taxon

SpeciesTargetedforEvaluation

Extinct

EX

Extinct
inthe Wild

Class IAClass IB

EWCREN

160(160)

7(7)

0(0)

Birds

Approx. 700(Approx. 700)15(15)0(0)Reptiles

100(100)

0(0)

0(0)

Amphibians

91(76)0(0)0(0)

Approx. 400(Approx. 400)

3(3)

1(1)

Insects

Approx. 32,000(Approx. 32,000)

4(4)

0(0)

Shellfish

Approx. 3,200(Approx. 3,200)

19(19)

0(0)Approx. 5,300(Approx. 5,300)

1(0)

0(0)

49(48)

1(1)

Fauna

Mammals

Brackish water andfreshwater fish

Other invertebrates

Subtotal of Fauna

Flora

28

Vascular plants

Approx. 7,000(Approx. 7,000)

28(28)11(11)

Bryophytes

Approx. 1,800(Approx. 1,800)

0(0)

0(0)

Algae

Approx. 3,000(Approx. 3,000)

4(4)

1(1)

Lichens

Approx. 1,600(Approx. 1,600)

4(4)

0(0)

Fungi

Approx. 3,000(Approx. 3,000)

25(26)

1(1)Subtotal of Flora

61(62)

Total of thirteen taxonomic groups

110(110)

Endangered Class I

34(33)
25(24)
12(12)
13(12)
98(98)
55(55)
24(24)
31(31)
37(37)
14(14)5(5)9(9)
47(29)
25(17)
5(4)
20(13)
169(169)
125(125)71(71)54(54)
367(363)
182(177)
75(71)
107(106)
629(616)301(288)
39(33)

28(16)
65(65)
22(22)0(0)2(2)
1446(1410)
749(722)

1790(1786)
1049(1045)
529(525)520(520)240(241)

Data
Near
Endangered Threatened DeficientClass II

Total oflistedspeciesEndangered
Local
Population

VUNTDDLP

9(9)17(18)

5(5)63(63)

26(23)

43(43)

22(21)

17(17)

152(151)

2(2)23(23)

17(17)

3(4)

57(58)

5(5)22(12)

19(22)1(1)67(52)0(0)44(44)

35(35)

37(37)

245(245)

15(15)

185(186)

351
(350)

153(153)

875
(870)

2(2)

328(328)440(445)

89(89)

1177(1169)

13(13)

43(43)

42(42)

44(44)

152(151)0(0)697(688)

943
(950)

349
(350)

2787
(2759)

63(60)

741(741)297(297)

37(37)

2163(2159)0(0)103(103)21(21)

21(21)

282
(283)

0(0)

21(21)

41(41)

40(40)

202(202)0(0)20(20)

41(41)

46(46)

154(152)0(0)24(23)

21(21)

51(50)

159(160)0(0)13(13)

137(138)
116(116)
95(95)
63(61)
43(41)
61(62)
37(39)
2270(2266)
1361(1358)

909(908)

421
(421)

195
(194)

2961
(2956)0(0)14(14)

3716(3676)
2110(2080)

1606(1596)

1364(1371)

544
(544)

5748
(5715)

63(60)* Numerals within parentheses indicate the respective numbers of species (including subspecies, variety (only for flora) and form (only for algae and fungi)) from the Red List 2019.
The numbers in the LP column are the numbers of local population. ** The number of species excluding those that cannot be evaluated by the naked eye.
The categories are considered as follows:
Extinct [EX]: Species that are likely to already be extinct / Extinct in the Wild [EW]: Species that exist only in captivity or as a naturalized population outside its natural habitat /Endangered Class I (Critically Endangered + Endangered) [CR+EN]: Species that are threatened to extinction / Endangered Class I A (Critically Endangered) [CR]: Species that are facing
an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future / Endangered Class I B (Endangered) [EN]: Species that are facing a high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future/ Endangered Class II (Vulnerable) [VU]: Species with and increasing risk of extinction / Near Threatened [NT]: Species that are not currently endangered, but may possibly qualify for“endangered” status with changes in their habitat conditions / Data Deficient [DD]: Species with data insufficient for adequate evaluation / Endangered Local Population [LP]: Specieswith a population isolated regionally, and face a high risk of extinction
Source: Red List 2020 by the Ministry of the Environment

29

Biodiversity
Additional materials provide more details about biodiversity in Japan.

Expanding Distribution of Sika Deer
While certain flora and fauna are endangered, there arealso issues with other species, such as Sika deer and wildboar, that are rapidly expanding their range of habitat andgrowing their populations. Such species are causing
increasing damage, resulting in an increasingly serious
situation for the agricultural, forestry, and fisheryindustries. For example, the distribution of Sika deerexpanded approx. 2.7 fold from 1978 to 2018.

Population distribution of Sika deer
Confirmed habitats as of a 1978 survey
New confirmed habitats as of a 2003 survey
New confirmed habitats as of a 2011 survey
New confirmed habitats as of a 2014 survey
New confirmed habitats as of a 2020 survey
Source: Ministry of the Environment

Estimated Number of Sika Deer in Japan (excluding Hokkaido prefecture*)
By implementation of various approaches, the number of capturing of sika deer increases,
and the estimated number of individuals tends to decrease.
3.550% confidence interval
90% confidence interval

Approximately

3

2.92 million

Median(Upper limit of 90% confidence interval)

Population（million）

2.5
Approximately

2.18 million (Median)
2
Approximately

1.73 million(Lower limit of 90% confidence level)

1.5

Approximately

548 thousand1(Number culled in FY2020)

0.5

0

1990

1995

2000

2005

2010

2015

*: In FY 2020, estimated number in Hokkaido was approx. 670,000, and number culled was approx. 107,000 (Hokkaido data).
Source: Ministry of the Environment

2020(FY)

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from
the annual reporton the enviromentin Japan 2022

Material Flow in Japan
In order to establish a sound material-cycle society, it is necessary to comprehend material flows (or substance flows)
to understand the extent of material extraction, consumption, and disposal in Japan. Japan uses material flows todetermine targets for the four indicators of resource productivity, cyclical use rate(resource base), cyclical use rate
(waste base), and final disposal amount.

FY2000 (for reference)
Imported products (48)
Export (120)
Importedresources(748)Import(796)

Net additions to stock(1,071)
Total material input(2,134)

Input ofnatural resources(1,921)

Energy consumption andindustrial process emissions(535)

Domesticresources(1,125)Compost(16)Food consumption (97)Natural return (85)

Water content etc. *1(299)

Waste generation(595)
Reduction (241)Final disposal(56)

Recycled amount (213)(mil. tonnes)

Total Volume of Waste Generation and Waste Volume Per Person Per Day
Total generated waste and waste generated per person per day are declining year by year.
(g/person-day)

6,000

1,400

5,000

1,200

4,167
1,000

4,000901
Total volume of waste generated
Volume of waste generated per person per day
800

3,000
1987

1990

Source: Ministry of the Environment

1995

2000

2005

2010

2015

2020
(FY)

Volume of waste generated per person per day

Total volume of waste generated(ten thousand tons/year)31Sound material-cycle society
Additional materials provide more information about current efforts to form a sound material-cycle society.

*1 Water content: water contents of wastes (sludge, livestock waste, night soil, waste acid, waste alkali) and sediments dumped in association with the process of economic activities(sludge in mining, construction and in waterworks as well as slag)

FY2019

Imported products (63)
Export (179)
Imported Importresources (738)(675)

Net additions to stock(454)

Total material input(1,498)Energy consumption andindustrial process emissions(477)

Input of
Domestic
natural resources
resources(1,263)(525)

Food consumption (86)Natural return (76)

Water content etc. *1(262)Compost(17)Waste generation(546)
Reduction (222)

Final disposal(13)

Recycled amount (235)(mil. tonnes)
Source: Ministry of the Environment

Final Disposal Amount and Final Disposal Amount Per Person
Final disposal amount of waste and final disposal amount per person per day are trending downwards.
(ten thousand tons)(g/person-day)

800

120

The final disposal volume per person per day

90

Final disposal amount

600

482

465

79
454

430

417

400

398

386

384

380

364

200

60

37

327

0
2011

2012

Source: Ministry of the Environment

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

(FY)

30

0

Final disposal amount per person per day

Direct final disposal amountFinal disposal amount after intermediate treatment

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Fine particulate matter
In FY2020, the rate of compliance with ambient air quality standards for fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) was 98.3%
for ambient air pollution monitoring stations and 98.3% for roadside air pollution monitoring stations throughout
Japan. The annual average was 9.5 µg/m³ for ambient air pollution monitoring stations and 10.0 µg/m³ for roadside
air pollution monitoring stations. By region, the rate of compliance with environmental standards remains lower inmainly urban areas of the Kanto and Kansai regions, in parts of the Chugoku and Shikoku regions that face theInland Sea, and in Kyushu.

Fiscal year

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

No. of vaild stations
Ambient

765

785

814

818

835

844

Roadside

219

223

224

232

238

237

No. of vaild stations compliant with ambient air quality standards

570

696

732

765

824

830

74.5%

88.7%

89.9%

93.5%

98.7%

98.3%

128

197

193

216

234

233

58.4%

88.3%

86.2%

93.1%

98.3%

98.3%

Ambient

Roadside

Failed ST/LT Standards
Failed LT Standard only
Failed ST Standard only
Met Environmental Standard

Source: Ministry of the Environment

Ambient air monitoring
Roadside air monitoring
Source: Ministry of the Environment

Photochemical oxidants
Photochemical oxidant densities (the highest value within a region of the 3-year average of the 99th percentile valuesof highest 8-hour daily values) had been tending to decline since around FY2006 to FY2008, but in recent years
they have tended to be almost flat.
(ppb)
140

Kanto region
Hanshin region
Fukuoka / Yamaguchi region
Tokai region

Oxidant density

120

100

94.7
94.7
86.7
86.7

8060

1990 - 1992

1994 - 1996

Source: Ministry of the Environment

1998 - 2000

2002 - 2004

2006 - 20082010 - 20122014 - 20162018 - 2020(FY)33

Atmospheric and water environments
Additional materials provide more details about biodiversity in Japan.

Achievement of Environmental Standards (BOD or COD)
An overall level of 88.8% has been achieved for the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygendemand (COD) environmental standards relating to the maintenance of living environments. BOD and COD areleading indicators of water quality in respect of organic pollution.
(%)
100

93.5
88.8
80.7

9080

Achievement rate

70
60

49.7

50
40

Total30Rivers
Sea areas

20Lakes100197519801985

1990

1995

2000

2005

2010

2015

2020
(FY)

Source: Ministry of the Environment

Coverage of Population Served by Wastewater Treatment System
The population coverage of wastewater treatment systems in Japan is 92.1%. Wastewater treatment facilities arebeing installed to cover the population not yet served by the wastewater treatment systems.
(%)
100
90

92.1

80

80.1

70
60

Total
50

Sewerage system
40

Johkasou30

Agricultural drainage facilities, etc.
20

9.3
2.5

1002001
Source: Ministry of the Environment

20052010

2015

2020
(FY)

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Additionalmaterials

fromthe annual reporton the enviromentin Japan 2022

Breakdown of Reported Releases by Industry andEstimated Releases of Chemical Substances in FY 2020

Reported Releases
by industry

39%

From industries not
subject to reporting21%

Top 10 Chemicals with High-volume ofReported Releases and Estimated Releases

Reported Releases
by industry

The Total Amount ofReported Releases andEstimated Releases
From mobile
sources

39%

318,000 t/year

17%(FY 2020)
42Toluene
21

XyleneFromhouseholds

11%

Fromindustries
subject toreporting

12%

1861%

186.0 15

8.3 1.6 9.9
8.3

D-D

Source: Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
and Ministry of the Environment

270.098.8

Dichloromethane (DCM)
Methylene chloride

Notes: The reported releases are from the business entities
categorized as subjected to reporting. Releases are
estimated for businesses that do not meet the reporting
requirements, such as number of employees, annual
handling quantity, etc., and are exempted from reporting.

7855

34
1314

Ethylbenzene
Polyoxyethylene
alkyl ether
n-hexane

Estimated Releases

37

8.3
0.004

Chloropicrin

6.7 6.7

Linear Alkylbenzenesulfonicacid and its salts

6.6 6.6

Dichloro Benzene

6.4 6.50.002

Reported releases
Estimated releases

0.008
0.10050100(thousand tonnes/year)
Source: Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and Ministry of the Environment

In March 2022, the government compiled data reported from businesses concerned on release and transfer of chemical
substances complying with the Act on Confirmation, etc. of Release Amounts of Specific Chemical Substances in theEnvironment and Promotion of Improvements to the Management Thereof (PRTR Law). Releases that were not subject
to reporting were estimated.

Ogasawara National Park
Ogasawara National Park consists of subtropical islands located about 1,000 km south of the Japanesearchipelago. These islands are oceanic islands that have never been connected to the mainland and thus
uniquely evolved flora, fauna, and ecosystems can be found on the islands. Thanks to these advantages,
Ogasawara National Park was registered as a World Heritage site in June 2011. In October 2022, theOgasawara National Park celebrated the 50th anniversary of its designation as a national park.
The landscape includes unique coastal landforms such as pillow lava and submerged karst landforms
that are rare in Japan, and the sea around the islands is home to an array of wildlife including marine
mammals, green sea turtles, and many other creatures, forming a diverse underwater environment.
The photo shows a coral reef and tropical fish off the Miyanohama Beach of Chichijima Island, which isdesignated as a marine park area. In June, when this photo was taken, many young fish can be seen
swimming around the coral reef.

35

Environmental risks of chemicals
The following data provides information on action regarding chemical substance emissions
into the environment and initiatives for children’s environmental health.

The Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS)The Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS), a large-scale, long-term national birth cohort study involving
100,000 mother-child pairs, was launched in FY 2010. The Sub-cohort study, which includes home visits for environmental measurements, medical examinations and children’s bio-specimen collection, began in November 2014,
involving 5,000 participants selected from the Main Study.
JECS is a large-scale, long-term prospective cohort study to examine the impact of the exposure
to chemical substances during pregnancy and childhood on children’s health.

Recruitment(3 years)

Study protocols
Follow-upandAnalysis

FY 2010: Establishment of national and regional organizations and formulation of research protocols
January 2011: Start of recruitment period (100,000 pregnant women)
March 2014: Completion of the recruitment

Pregnancy- Questionnaire- Collection of maternal blood, urine, and hair samples
as well as paternal blood samples

At birth- Health check of the babies- Collection of cord blood samples

One month oldChildhood- Physician’s examination and questionnaire- Collection of breast milk and babies’ hair samples

Chemical analysis on bio-specimens
Long-term storage of bio-specimens
Multivariate analysis of the environmental
factors on children’s health including
hereditary, lifestyle, and social factors
Identification of the impact ofenvironmental factors on children’s health- Physician’s examination and questionnaire- Collection of children’s bio-specimens

Ministry of the Environment (MOE)Considers environmental policies incorporating results of the study, andconducts coordination with other ministries as well as on an international level.
Programme OfficeOrganization(15 universities and institutes)
Recruit participants and conduct follow-up study(in cooperation with local health care providers)

Medical Support Center

Accreditation from the MOE (April 2010)[1] Hokkaido [2] Miyagi [3] Fukushima [4] Chiba [5] Kanagawa[6] Koshin [7] Toyama [8] Aichi [9] Kyoto [10] Osaka [11] Hyogo[12] Tottori [13] Kochi [14] Fukuoka [15] South-Kyushu / Okinawa(National Centre for Child Health and Development)
Provides medical expertise

Expectedoutcomes

Regional Centers(National Institute for Environmental Studies)
Leads the study, manages the collected data and bio-specimens,and conducts exposure analysis- Policy development to provide parents with the safe and secure child-raising environment- Development of better strategies for chemical risk assessment and management that considers children’s vulnerability

Source: Ministry of the Environment

Annual Report on the Environment,
the Sound Material-Cycle Society and Biodiversity
in Japan 2022
Published by Ministry of the Environment
General Policy Division
Minister’s Secretariat

hakusho@env.go.jp
www.env.go.jp/en/
Published in November 2022
Copyright©2022 Ministry of the Environment, Japan. All rights reserved.

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