to the 186th ordinary session of the Diet, and it passed with an unanimous vote. Note Japan concluded the convention in October 2014 and has made efforts to develop on environmental development work to enable the early entry into force of the convention.

## Section 6 Improving living environments by preventing atmospheric and noise pollution

## Policies for environmental issues related to road traffic

(1) Measures for individual vehicles

## (i) Exhaust gas reduction measures

Statutory amendments were passed in July 2015 with respect to exhaust gas measures applicable to new vehicles in order to further reduce exhaust gas generated by trucks, buses, and motorcycles. Concerning trucks and buses, we consequently introduced the Worldwide Heavy-Duty Certification procedure (WHDC), reinforced regulatory values applicable to nitrogen oxides, introduced exhaust regulations for off-cycle emissions, and mandated that vehicles be equipped with advanced on-board diagnostic systems. Concerning motorcycles, we reinforced regulatory values applicable to exhaust gas, introduced fuel evaporative gas measures, and mandated that vehicles be equipped with on-board diagnostic systems. We have been successively applying these changes since October 2016. In order to introduce the Worldwide Harmonized Light vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP) for testing exhaust gas and fuel efficiency with respect to passenger vehicles, we are preparing revisions to concerned laws and ordinances and will begin applying these procedures progressively in 2018.

In connection with Volkswagen emissions scandal that emerged in September 2015, relevant statutes and ordinances were amended in November of the same year and the use of software to activate emission control devices on passenger cars only during testing and to turn deactivate them when the vehicle is operating under real-world conditions was banned. Review meetings chaired by experts were held jointly with the Ministry of the Environment to study reviews of emissions test procedure for passenger vehicles.

In order to help consumers identify and select vehicles that perform exceptionally well in terms of reducing the amount of exhaust gas generated, a program for certifying low-exhaust gas vehicles according to the given level of reduction has been implemented for vehicles that reduce harmful substances by more than the regulatory values for exhaust gas that apply to them.

Exhaust gas measures for in-use vehicles (vehicles already in usage) such as those based on the Amendment Act on Reduction of Total Amount of Nitrogen Dioxide and Particulate Matters Originating from Automobiles in Designated Areas (Automobile NOx PM Law) are being implemented.

## (ii) Reinforcing noise regulations

With respect to measures to deal with noise pollution generated by vehicles, regulations govern noise generated from accelerating the vehicle, steady running noise, and proximate exhaust noise. In order to introduce noise regulations tied to tires as a measure to reduce the noise generated by tires on four-wheeled vehicles that contribute considerably to the noise generated by normal operations, statutes and ordinances were amended in October 2015; these provisions will begin to be progressively applied in April 2018.

In order to harmonize noise regulations governing four-wheeled vehicles with international standards that will reinforce regulations in two stages, statutes and ordinances were amended in April 2016; these provisions will begin to be progressively applied in October of the same year.