New Policy Measures in Japan

that manage HFCs and promote 

alternatives.

Masafumi OKI

Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Japan (METI)

12 July 2014, Paris.

1
Agenda

2

1. Managing HFCs Emission

a) Industrial Voluntary Action Plans ( HFC, PFC, SF6 )

b) “Fluorocarbons Recovery & Destruction Law” ( HFC, CFC, HCFC )

( New law )

“Act on Rational Use & Proper Management of Fluorocarbons”

( HFC, CFC, HCFC )

3 Reducing “In use leakage” ( HFC, CFC, HCFC )

 Periodical check & Reporting total amount of emission

( by users of products for commercial use )

 Restriction of repetitious refilling without repairs

( by users & by refiller )

2. Promoting alternatives to lower GWP & Non-Fluorocarbons

( New law )

“Act on Rational Use & Proper Management of Fluorocarbons”

( HFC, CFC, HCFC ) 

1 Promoting lower-GWP/non-fluorocarbons in designated products 

( HFC ) ( by Manufactures ) 

2 Conducting HFCs Phase-down ( HFC ) ( by Gas-producers )
0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

(9) Extinguish agent

(8) Metalic products

(7) Electric insulation gas

(6) Semiconductor manufacturing

(5) Solvent/Cleaning agent

(4) Air-conditioning and refrigerator

(3) Aerosol

(2) Foam/Insulation

(1 HFC production

(mil. t-CO2)

Target of Kyoto Protocol

(31mil.t-CO2)

Average Emission 

(24mil.t-CO2)

Status of emissions per sector 

by Industrial Voluntary Action Plans

HFC23: by-product 

of HCFC22

Refrigerants

Air conditioner 

& refrigerator

HFC23: by-product 

of HCFC22

Refrigerants

Air conditioning & 

refrigerator

(Source Change of HFC emission)

1995 HFC

(20mil.t-CO2)

2012 HFC

(21mil.t-CO2)

Source: Industrial Structure Council, METI 3

Prospective increase of Fluorocarbons emissions 

in refrigeration & air-conditioning sector

Base year level

(51mil.t-CO2)

The first commitment

period of Kyoto Protocol.
4

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

amount of recovery at

disposal

Amount of recovery (Ton)

Rate of recovery

at disposal

Source: Industrial Structure Council, METI

The rate of recovery is about 30% 

since the enforcement

Prospective emissions of F-gases 

& leakages by sector in 2020 (BAU) 

Amount of Leakage from equipment 

in use is increasing more than expected

Trend of the amount of recovery 

from commercial refrigerators 

& air-conditioners

(mil t-CO2)

50

40

30

20

10

0

5

10

15

20

25

漏洩量

小型冷凍冷蔵機器

大型冷凍機

その他中型冷凍冷蔵

機器

ビル用PAC

その他業務用

家庭用エアコン

別置型ショーケース

In use

In disposal

2020 BAU Leakage

Showcases

RAC

Others, commercial ACs

Other middle 

refrigerators

Large refrigerators

Small refrigerators 

Package ACs

(note) The amount of recovery at service is not included.

Status of implementation of 

“Fluorocarbons Recovery & Destruction Law”

Recovered F-gases Destructed/Recycled

“Disposal” “In use leakage”
( New Law )

“ Act on Rational Use & Proper Management of Fluorocarbons “

to address issues throughout Lifecycle of Fluorocarbons 

Air conditioner

Dust blowers

Refrigerator

Producers of HFCs Manufacturers of products 

containing HFCs

Supermarkets

Lower GWP HFCs

Natural Refrigerant

(1) Phase-down HFCs (2) Promote lower GWP products 

Products with 

alternatives

Periodical 

check

Maintenance

Promoting of 

recycle

(3) Reduce

“In use leakage”

Approved

recyclers

Registered fillers/

recovery operators

Approved

destructors

“Fluorocarbons Recovery & Destruction Law” 5

Concerns Planning to be effective from April 2015

1. Prospective

rapid increase

of HFCs 

emission

2. Low rate of 

Recovery in 

disposal

3. “In use 

leakage”

4. Technical 

development & 

commercialization of lowGWP/nonfluorocarbon 

products

5. Global 

movement of 

strengthening 

the regulations 

on high-GWP 

fluorocarbons

Report of 

leakage

Log book

Users of products
Manufactures and Importers of products will be required to replace 

high-GWP products with low-GWP or non-fluorocarbons ones, 

considering safety, energy efficiency, economic affordability etc.

Index related to environmental impact

To reduce climate impact by converting refrigerant

to the target value which is specified referring to 

the lowest GWP among the designated products 

in Japan.

HighGWP

LowGWP

・Refrigerants GWP

・Volume of products

・ Refrigerants ⇒

Lower-GWP/non-fluorocarbon

・ Volume of products

( New Measure 1)

Measures to promote low-GWP/non-fluorocarbons 

in designated products

Base year Target year 6

Target value

Evaluate accomplishments 

for each product category

(weighted average )

Example) Air conditioning 
Building PAC, 

12.4%

Store PAC, 6.9%

Mobile Air 

conditioning, 

9.6%

Room Air 

conditioning, 

18.1%

Separate 

showcases

(Condensing 

unit), 26.9%

Foam/insulation, 

7.1%

Aerosol, 1.0%

Ratio of fluorocarbon emissions from whole products lifecycle 

including manufacturing, usage and destruction (2012)

27,738,000 t -CO2

(2012)

( New Measure 1)

Possible target of designated products using fluorocarbons

Source: inventory report of green house gases by METI

※Based on GWP values for the second commitment period - Kyoto Protocol

※Subject to change depending on considered categories of designated products. 7

(HFC emission) (HFC stock amount)

418,450,000 t-CO2

(2012)
( New Measure 1 )

Target value and year for each designated product

( the first group ) 

Designated products ※ Present refrigerant(GWP) Target value

(GWP) Target year

Room air-conditioning R410A(2090)

R32(675) 750 2018

Commercial air-conditioning

(for offices and stores) R410A(2090) 750 2020

Condensing unit and refrigerating unit

(for separate type showcases etc.)

R404A(3920)

R410A(2090)

R407C(1774)

CO2(1)

1500 2025

Cold storage warehouse

(for more than 50000 m3)

R404A(3920)

Ammonia (single digit) 100 2019

Mobile air-conditioner R134a(1430) 150 2023

Urethane foam

(for House building materials)

HFC-245fa(1030)

HFC-365mfc(795) 100 2020

Dust blowers

HFC-134a(1430)

HFC-152a(124)

CO2(1), DME(1)

10 2019

8

※ With some exceptions. 
( New Measure 2)

Measures to conduct HFCs phase-down

9

Manufacturers and Importers of fluorocarbon gases will be required 

to make their plans to conduct “HFCs phase-down” with development and production 

of lower GWP gases considering safety, energy efficiency, economic affordability etc.

A guideline can be referred in order for them to make plans to reduce HFCs and

will be made based upon their prospective supply to follow the measures 

on the designated products to lower GWP / non-fluorocarbons gases. 

Manufactures of products

containing HFCs 

(Measures 1) 

Promoting lower GWP/ non F-gases

products

Producers of HFCs

(Measure 2) 

Conducting phase-down HFCs

Total target amount set by METI

• To set every five years basically

• To be calculated automatically 

based upon the measures on the 

designated products by manufactures

“Two Wheels” to drive the reductions

Evaluation by METI

• Every five years basically

Total 

actual amount 

by companies 

Total 

target amount 

by METI 
( New Measure 3)

Measures to reduce “In use leakage” 

(conducting periodical check, repair before refilling etc.) users

Periodical check

“ log book ” to record items below

Type/amount of refrigeration used

Details of maintenance report including periodical 

check & repair record, date & time, result etc.

Record

Maintenance/refilling

Users will be required to conduct periodical check, to call services to arrange repair 

before refilling as soon as leakage is found, to record their maintenance, and 

to disclose them to their maintenance operators etc. 

Maintenance operators 

( registered fillers & recovery operators)

Explain its necessity to be repaired 

when leakage is identified.

Call a service immediately 

to arrange repair/refill

as soon as leakage is found.

10

Disclose
11

Summary of New Policy Measures in Japan

1. Promote lower GWP / Non F-gas Products 

by Manufacturers of products containing HFCs

by Producers of HFCs

3. Reduce “In use leakage” from commercial products

by Users of products containing F-Gases 

Making progress to reduce HFCs surely and practically with incentives to:

1. Manufactures → to develop and produce products

containing lower GWP /non F-gases 

2. Gas -Producers → to develop and produce Lower GWP F-gases

3. Users → to purchase non F-gases products

(Upstream)

2. Phase-down HFCs

(Downstream)

considering safety, economic affordability, energy efficiency etc.

No regulations in the case of using natural refrigerants & HFOs

Periodical 

check

Repair before 

refilling

Report of 

leakage

Log book
12