Chronology of Events Related to Environmental Conservation Efforts

Year	Events	Orientation of activities
1887-1906	· Copper poisoning incident occurred at Ashio copper mine
1951	· Deterioration of water quality in areas surrounding paper mill factories began to attract public attention
1955	· First case of “Itai-itai” disease was reported at a medical convention
1956	· First case of Minamata disease was reported to a health office
1958	· Melee broke out between fishermen and the factory over damage to fishing operation caused by drainage of effluent from a paper mill factory to Edogawa River
1963	· Campaign against the construction of Mishima Industrial Complex was launched
1964	· Pollution control agreement was concluded between Yokohama City and businesses
1965	· Outbreak of Minamata disease in the Aganogawa River downstream region was officially affirmed
1967	· Yokkaichi Pollution Lawsuit was filed
1969	· Lawsuit against noise of Osaka International Airport was filed
1970	· First warning of photochemical smog was issued in Suginami Ward, Tokyo
1970	· Residents and businesses signed a pollution control agreement in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture
1970	· Pollution May Day rally was held (consisting of meetings and demonstrations in 16 prefectures across the nation; first united action by citizens’ groups)
1973	· Suit demanding suspension of the construction of Buzen thermal power plant was filed
1974	· National Liaison Council for Shinkansen Noise Pollution was inaugurated
1975	· Citizen Campaign for Using Soap Instead of Synthetic Detergent was launched
1976	· Kawasaki City enacted the ordinance regarding environmental impact assessment
1977	· A 1977 OECD report-Environmental Politics in Japan-reviewed that “Japan has won many pollution abatement battles, but has not yet won the war for environmental quality.” (It was suggested that Japan needs to make aggressive efforts to improve environmental comfort (amenity), in addition to working toward pollution prevention.)
1979	· Ordinance concerning the prevention of eutrophication of Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture was enacted.
1981	· Ordinance concerning the prevention of eutrophication of Lake Kasumigaura in Ibaraki Prefecture was enacted
1982	· First National Trust Symposium was held in Shari-cho Town, Hokkaido.
1983	· Conference on Studded Tire Pollution was held in Sendai City
1984	· Chemical substances were detected in wells in the vicinity of the final landfill site in Hinode-machi Town, Tokyo
1987	· 20% Club for Sustainable Cities was created
1987	· Caring for Tenjinzaki Foundation was established and certified as designated public interest corporation (natural environment conservation) by governor of Wakayama Prefecture.
1988	· Desalination project of Lake Nakaumi-Lake Shinjiko was frozen
1988	· National Amenity Council was inaugurated
1988	· Ordinance concerning the Promotion of Natural Ecosystem Agriculture (organic farming) was enacted in Aya-cho Town, Miyazaki Prefecture
1989	· Light Pollution Control Ordinance was enacted in Bisei-cho Town, Okayama Prefecture
1990	· International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) was established
1990	· Environment Co-operative Union Shiga (Eco-Coop BIWAKO) was established
1991	· Community study were started in Minamata City, Kumamoto Prefecture
1992	· Coalition of Local Government for Environmental Initiative, Japan was established
1992	· Agenda 21 was adopted at Earth Summit
1993	· Kanagawa Prefecture drew up Japan’s first Local Agenda 21
1993	· Groundwork Mishima was established (Mishima City, Shizuoka Prefecture)
1993	· First Tramway Summit was held (Sapporo City, Hokkaido)
1995	· Organization for Minamata disease patients accepted the government’s final settlement proposal
1995	· Kita Ward, Tokyo and Kanra-machi Town in Gunma Prefecture commenced collaboration in food recycling
1995	· First Summit of Terraced Paddy Field was held (Yusuhara-cho Town, Kochi Prefecture)
1996	· Community Action Network for Preserving the Akame Forest was established (Nabari City, Mie Prefecture)
1996	· Tachikawa-machi Town, Yamagata Prefecture formulated a plan for new energy introduction (wind power generation, etc.)
1996	· Asahi-machi Town, Yamagata Prefecture formulated Eco Museum Design and Construction Plan
1997	· Hokkaido introduced “Time Assess”
1999	· EcoMoney Network was established
1999	· National Recycling Shopping Area Summit was held (Waseda, Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo)
2000	· Tokyo Metropolitan Government launched “No Diesel Vehicle” campaign
2000	· Forest improvement agreement was concluded (Kumamoto City and Yabe-machi Town, Kumamoto Prefecture)
2001	· Mie Prefecture enacted the Ordinance for industrial waste tax
2002	· Tokyo’s Suginami Ward enacted Suginami Environmental Tax (Plastic Grocery Bag Tax) Ordinance
2002	· Johannesburg Summit called for the implementation of Local Action 21

Source: Compiled by the Ministry of the Environment based on: Environmental Information Science, Volume 25, No. 3 (September 1996), Center for Environmental Information Science; Environmental Sociology by Nobuko Iijima; Strategies for Creation of Local Governments for Environmental Initiatives, Mitsuru Tanaka, et al (September 2002); Global Net, No. 130, Global Environment Forum.

## Section 2: Local Characteristics Defined by Actors and Infrastructure Comprising Local Communities

### 1. Local Characteristics and Infrastructure Comprising Local Communities

A community is comprised of nature-derived elements (e.g., climate, geography, fauna and flora, and water) and social elements (e.g., population, land use, transportation infrastructure, public facilities, tradition and culture). The relationship between these elements and the environment differs by community. For example, a tendency toward fewer members per household in urban areas results in an increase in energy and water consumption, whereas agricultural and mountain villages are more likely to have rich, multi-functional forest resources that supply timber and fix

Household Size and Ratio of Elderly Population

Source: Compiled by the Ministry of the Environment based on 2000 Population Census of Japan, Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications