Chronology of Socio-economic Events of Japan

National and international events	Events related to everyday life in Japan
Rapid economic growth; In search of material wealth	·Period of rapid economic growth
(1955) Outbreak of Itai-itai disease (Jintsugawa River basin)
(1956) Economic Survey of Japan, No Longer in Postwar Era, published.
(1956) Outbreak of Minamata disease
(1960) Plan to double national income launched
·Period that raised the issue of pollution
(1960) Pollution at Yokkaichi worsened (asthma, etc.)
(1962) Smog continued for one week (Tokyo)
(1962) Silent Spring by Rachel Carson published
(1962) National Comprehensive Development Plan
(1964) Tokyo Olympics held
(1965) Outbreak of second Minamata disease, Niigata Minamata disease (Aganogawa River basin)
(1967) Basic Law for Environmental Pollution Control enacted
(1967) Niigata Minamata disease lawsuit, Yokkaichi pollution lawsuit
(1969) Mankind's first landing on the moon
(1970) Osaka Expo held
(1970) Frequent occurrence of photochemical smog in Tokyo; Air pollution from soot and dust and from SOx
(1970) 14 pollution-related laws passed at the 64th Diet (so-called Pollution Diet)
(1971) Environment Agency founded
(1972) Limits to Growth by Club of Rome published
(1972) Declaration on the Human Environment issued by the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment; United Nations Environment Programme established
(1972) Plan for a drastic modernization of national infrastructure (Japanese Archipelago Remodeling Plan) announced	Jinmu economic boom
1954-1957	(1953) TV broadcast started
(1953) Emergence of instant foods
[Three sacred treasures]
B&W TV, electric washing machine, and electric refrigerator
Iwato economic boom
1958-1961
Olympics economic boom
1962-1964	(1962) Metropolitan Expressway opened; Private car ownership began to increase
(1962) Agricultural population fell to less than 30% of total labor force
(1964) Tissue paper appeared on the market
(1964) Overseas travel deregulated
(1964) Operations of Tokaido Shinkansen Line began
(1965) Entire route of Meishin Expressway opened
(1966) Japan's population exceeded 100 million
(1967) The phrase "nuclear family" became popular
(1969) Emergence of freezer/refrigerator (two doors)
(1969) Entire route of Tomei Expressway opened
(1970) Number of vending machines exceeded one million
Steady growth period; From the pursuit of material wealth to convenience	·Period when people became aware of energy issues and environmental problems in urban areas
(1973) Fourth Middle East War and the First Oil Crisis
(1974) Possibility of CFCs depleting the ozone layer pointed out.
(1978) "Urban-type combined pollution" lawsuit in Nishiyodogawa City
(1979) Second Oil Crisis; Energy-saving Law enacted
(1980) Japan's automobile production became No. 1 in the world
(1980) First US Space Shuttle launched	National remodeling economic boom
1971-1973	(1974) First convenience store opened
(1975) Operation of Sanyo Shinkansen Line (Okayama-Hakata) started
(1979) "Energy-saving suits" attracted attention
(1982) Emergence of PET bottle
(1982) Operation of Tohoku and Joetsu Shinkansen Lines started
(1983) The phrase "One-room mansion (apartment)" became popular
(1984) Longevity of both Japanese males and females became No. 1 in the world
Period of globalization; Emergence of global environmental problems	(1985) Law for Equal Employment Opportunity of Men and Women enacted
(1985) Tsukuba Expo held
·Period that heightened awareness of global environmental problems
(1985) Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer adopted
(1986) Nuclear accident occurred at Chernobyl
(1987) Montreal Protocol adopted
(1988) Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) established
(1989) Oil spill accident of Valdez
(1990) Remaining capacity of final disposal sites:
·Volume equivalent to 7.6 years (industrial) and
·1.7 years (general) of disposal
·Period that implemented policies for sustainable development
(1992) Earth Summit held
(1992) Basel Convention took effect
(1992) Convention on Biological Diversity adopted
(1993) Basic Environment Law enacted
(1994) WTO established
(1996) ISO 14001 formulated and issued
(1997) Kyoto Protocol adopted at COP3
(1997) Oil spill accident of Nakhodka
(1998) Law concerning the Promotion of Measures to Cope with Global Warming enacted
(1998) Japan's GNP became No. 2 in the world
(2000) Basic Law for Establishing the Recycling-based Society enacted;
·Second Basic Environment Plan approved by the Cabinet;
·World population exceeded six billion
(2002) Kyoto Protocol ratified	Bubble Economy
1986-1991	(1986) Emergence of films-with-lens camera
(1987) Mobile phone services started
(1987) The phrase "DINKS" became popular
(1988) Seikan Tunnel opened; Seto-ohashi Bridge completed
(1989) Consumption tax (3%) introduced
(1989) Operation of Internet started
(1989) Eco Mark introduced
(1990) Number of Japanese traveling overseas per year exceeded 10 million
(1991) Beef and orange imports deregulated
(1992) Two-day weekend system took root; 5-day school week started
(1993) Bad harvest of farm produce due to cold summer
(1993) Number of convenience stores exceeded 40,000
(1994) Water shortage due to severe summer heat
(1994) Program subsidizing home-use solar power generation system started
(1995) Single-person households accounted for 25% of total households
(1997) Consumption tax raised to 5%
(2000) Households using personal computers exceeded 50%
(2001) Households using Internet exceeded 50%
(2002) Mobile phone users exceeded 50% of Japan's total population

Source: Ministry of the Environment

Changes in the Transportation of Products in Small Quantity

Source: Domestic Transportation Statistics Handbook, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport

Changes in the Number of Mobile Communications Service Contracts