“Manual for countermeasures against sediment with dioxins encountered in rivers and lakes”, which were revised in April 2008. In addition, Japan is supporting pollution prevention projects in rivers and lakes with dioxins levels detected to be exceeding standards. In addition, support is being provided for pollution prevention enterprises for harbors and rivers for which dioxins exceeding the standards have been detected in the bottom sediment.

## (3) Measures against asbestos

Issues concerning asbestos are life-threatening. As buildings that were built in the 1970s—when mass amounts of asbestos was imported to Japan—each their dismantling period, it is important to implement pre-emptive measures to prevent injuries from occurring.

In 2013, in order to efficiently and accurately grasp the actual use of asbestos building materials, the system for investigators of structures containing asbestos building materials was created.

Also, based on the “Building Standards Law,” the removal of sprayed asbestos when renovating a building is required, auxiliary system of comprehensive grants for social capital development is in place to promote the asbestos removal in existing buildings and follow ups are being done for the situation of the removal and anti-scattering of asbestos in the existing facilities under the jurisdiction of national ministries and agencies.

Furthermore, Japan is promoting the dissemination of information in efforts such as compiling data bases on referential cost estimates for removal work of spray-applied asbestos insulation, documents useful for identifying building materials containing asbestos (Visually identifiable building materials containing asbestos) and information on such materials, as well as pamphlets for measures related to asbestos in buildings.

## 6 Environmental measures in construction

The regulations for use under the “Law on the Control of Specified Special Automobile Exhaust Gas” have been implemented for the purpose of reducing the damage to atmospheric environment caused by construction machinery, not travelling on public roads and, in January 2014, the Ordinance Notice (sequential application from October 2014) was amended to strengthen the regulation value for NOx to approximately 1/10. In addition, the dissemination of the use of construction machinery specified as the type with measures for exhaust gas, low noise and low vibration will be promoted along with the promotion for use in direct-control businesses.

## Section 7 Observing, monitoring, and forecasting changes in the global environment

## Observing and monitoring the global environment

## (1) Observing and monitoring climate change

In order to grasp the status of greenhouse gases (GHGs), the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) is observing $ CO_{2} $ trends in the atmosphere at three stations in Japan. $ CO_{2} $ concentrations in the marine atmosphere, as well as those in the sea surface water are being observed in the northwest Pacific by ocean station vessel. GHGs in the upper troposphere in the northwest Pacific is also being observed. Furthermore, JMA is not only monitoring climate changes but also observing solar and infrared radiation at domestic five stations in order to reduce an uncertainty of global warming projections.

In addition, JMA observes sea level rise accompanied by global warming, and publishes information on the long-term change in sea levels around Japanese coasts.