discharge have been taken under guidance to observe the standards for total pollutant load control established by the governors based on a scope by the Minister of the Environment. In addition, the measures covering daily life water discharge, by maintaining sewage systems, septic tanks, agricultural community effluent treatment facilities and local night soil treatment facilities, have continued to be taken in accordance with the situation of each area, as well as, improvement of combined sewer systems. and other related measures. As a result, the water quality in these enclosed coastal areas is tending to improve, but the achievement rate of EQSs for COD, total nitrogen, and total phosphorous remains incompletely accomplished (however, most of the environmental standards for total nitrogen and total phosphorous have been achieved in the Seto Inland Sea, except for Osaka Bay), and the challenges associated with enriched nutrients have being on going.

## (3) Measures for Conserving the Soil Environment

### A. Counter measures Soil Contamination in Urban Areas

Based on the Soil Contamination Countermeasures Act, the government is conducting the investigation of lands used as sites for a plant or workplace in order to identify decommissioned specified Facilities Using Hazardous Substances. Up to the end of March 2010, 1,487 studies have been conducted since that law was enacted, and as a result of those studies, 435 sites have been found to exceed designation standards and have been registered as contaminated by designated hazardous substances (of those, 233 lands have already been deregistered after removal of contaminated soil).

Based on the Revised SCCA that was enacted in April 2010, a test for engineers to obtain qualifications as a Technical Manager, which is a position required to be present at designated investigation institutions based on the Revised SCCA was conducted in December 2010. Also, in July 2010, the government provided the Guidelines (an interim version) for businesses conducting investigations and taking measures based on the Revised Soil Contamination Countermeasures Act. Studies were also conducted to promote the prevention technologies and investigations covering low-cost and low environmental impact problems.

### B. Measures against Soil Contamination on Agricultural Land

Of the 7,487ha of areas where contaminant amounts in excess of standards were detected, as of the end of March 2010 6,577ha (72 areas) had been designated as areas where measures are to be planned against soil contamination of agricultural land, 6,492ha (72 areas) of that had plans formulated for measures against soil contamination, and countermeasure work has been completed for 6,620ha (a 88.4% ratio of progress). Temporary measures until completion of countermeasure work in areas contaminated with cadmium. The development, demonstration, and promotion of technologies

Figure 2-5 Number of Soil Contamination Cases Identified by Fiscal Year

FY 1989 FY 1990 FY 1991 FY 1992 FY 1993 FY 1994 FY 1995 FY 1996 FY 1997 FY 1998 FY 1999 FY 2000 FY 2001 FY 2002 FY 2003 FY 2004 FY 2005 FY 2006 FY 2007 FY 2008 FY 2009

Source: Ministry of the Environment, "The Results of the Survey on Enforcement Status of the Soil Contamination Countermeasures Act & Numbers and Trends of Soil Contamination Investigations and Countermeasures in the FY 2009"