German Institute for Japanese Studies (DIJ Tokyo)

Joint Social Science Study Group andBusiness & Economics Study Group
April 18, 2024, 18.30h (JST) / 11.30h (CEST)

Who Drives the Green Shift? Environmental Attitudes inJapan from 1993 to 2020
Carola Hommerich & Joanna Kitsnik (both Sophia University)

Given the growing challenge of meeting the 1.5 degrees Celsius target outlined in the Paris
Agreement, climate scientists are urging rapid and substantial action to mitigate the effects ofthe climate crisis. The role of institutional and governmental policies in combating climatechange is crucial, yet their success hinges on public compliance and support. The willingnessof people to adhere to these policies or to modify their individual habits directly impacts thepossibilities and effectiveness of climate protection measures. Therefore, comprehending how
individuals perceive climate change, and identifying the circumstances under which theseperceptions influence behaviour, is a vital component for mobilizing a collective shift towards
environmentally sustainable societies.
Using survey data from the International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) Environment modulefor Japan spanning the years 1993, 2000, 2010, and 2020, we discuss how the perception andreaction to environmental issues and climate change has evolved and identify the primary trends.
Our analysis centres on pro-environmental attitudes, willingness to make sacrifices to protect
the environment, environmental self-efficacy, and beliefs in external solutions to the climate
crisis. We explore how these aspects vary among diverse social groups and identify the role ofsociodemographic characteristics in the translation of pro-environmental attitudes into action.
With our analysis, we aim to shed light on the intricate relationship between individual attitudes,societal trends, and policy effectiveness in the context of climate change, ultimately providing
insights that could guide future strategies for fostering a more environmentally sustainable
society in Japan.
Carola Hommerich is Professor at the Department of Sociology, Faculty of Human Sciences, Sophia
University, Tokyo. In the past, she has served as Associate Professor of Sociology at the Graduate Schoolof Letters of Hokkaido University, and as Senior Research Fellow at the DIJ Tokyo. Her research focuseson the interrelation of subjective well-being and social status, as well as on the interlinkage ofenvironmental attitudes and behaviour. Recent publications include Sustainable Societies in a Fragile
World. Perspectives from Germany and Japan (Sophia UP, 2024, ed. with M. Kimura) and ‘Perceived
Social Exclusion Partially Accounts for Social Status Effects on SWB: A Comparative Study of Japan,
Germany, and the US’ (Applied Research in Quality of Life, 2024, with C. Sagioglou).
Joanna Kitsnik is a Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) funded postdoctoral researcher
at Sophia University, Tokyo. She holds a PhD in Sociology (2022) from the Graduate School of Letters,
Kyoto University. Her other ongoing research topics are related to the comparative aspects of attitudes
towards wealth and income inequality, environmental attitudes, and sustainability. Recent publications
include ‘A Revolution in Consciousness? Changes in Environmental Attitudes and Behaviours inGermany and Japan’ (in: Sustainable Societies in a Fragile World, see above) and ‘Why We Don’t Mind
the Gap: The Robust Role of Individual Beliefs in Enduring Unequal Income Distribution—Evidence from34 Countries’ (Comparative Sociology 22(4): 589-630, 2023).
About:The DIJ Study Group is a forum for scholars conducting
research on contemporary Japan. Meetings are open
to speakers from all disciplines.

Hybrid Event:For on-site participation please register via email atheckel@dijtokyo.org until April 17, 2024.
For online participation please register via our website.