# Japanese — Permitting and Environmental Law Sub-Lexicon

Maps Japanese environmental and permitting vocabulary to correct English
equivalents. Covers EIA, air/water/soil pollution control, waste, nature,
chemicals, contaminated land, climate, and construction/city planning.

## Regulatory Framework

| Japanese | English |
|---|---|
| 環境基本法 (環境基本法) | Basic Environment Act |
| 環境影響評価法 | Environmental Impact Assessment Act |
| 大気汚染防止法 | Air Pollution Control Act |
| 水質汚濁防止法 | Water Pollution Control Act |
| 土壌汚染対策法 (土対法) | Soil Contamination Countermeasures Act |
| 廃棄物の処理及び清掃に関する法律 (廃棄物処理法) | Waste Management and Public Cleansing Act |
| 資源有効利用促進法 (資源有効利用促進法) | Act on the Promotion of Effective Utilization of Resources |
| 容器包装リサイクル法 | Containers and Packaging Recycling Act |
| 家電リサイクル法 | Home Appliance Recycling Act |
| 建設リサイクル法 | Construction Material Recycling Act |
| 食品リサイクル法 | Food Recycling Act |
| 自動車リサイクル法 | End-of-Life Vehicle Recycling Act |
| 小型家電リサイクル法 | Small Home Appliance Recycling Act |
| 化学物質審査規制法 (化審法 / CSCL) | Chemical Substances Control Act |
| 化学物質排出把握管理促進法 (化管法 / PRTR 法) | Act on PRTR and Promotion of Management of Chemical Substances |
| 自然環境保全法 | Nature Conservation Act |
| 自然公園法 | Natural Parks Act |
| 絶滅のおそれのある野生動植物の種の保存に関する法律 (種の保存法) | Endangered Species Preservation Act |
| 地球温暖化対策推進法 (温対法) | Act on Promotion of Global Warming Countermeasures |
| 省エネ法 (エネルギーの使用の合理化等に関する法律) | Act on Rationalization of Energy Use (Energy Conservation Act) |
| 都市計画法 | City Planning Act |
| 建築基準法 | Building Standards Act |

## Regulators and Institutions

| Japanese | English |
|---|---|
| 環境省 | Ministry of the Environment |
| 経済産業省 (経産省) | Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry |
| 国土交通省 (国交省) | Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism |
| 農林水産省 (農水省) | Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries |
| 厚生労働省 (厚労省) | Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare |
| 原子力規制委員会 | Nuclear Regulation Authority |
| 都道府県知事 | prefectural governor |
| 市町村長 | mayor |
| 政令指定都市 / 中核市 | designated city / core city |
| 環境再生保全機構 (ERCA) | Environmental Restoration and Conservation Agency |
| 国立環境研究所 (NIES) | National Institute for Environmental Studies |
| 産業廃棄物処理事業振興財団 | Industrial Waste Management Foundation |

## Environmental Impact Assessment

| Japanese | English |
|---|---|
| 環境影響評価 (環境アセスメント / 環境アセス) | environmental impact assessment |
| 配慮書 | consideration document |
| 方法書 | scoping document |
| 準備書 | draft environmental impact statement |
| 評価書 | final environmental impact statement |
| 報告書 | post-operation monitoring report |
| 戦略的環境アセスメント (SEA) | strategic environmental assessment |
| スクリーニング | screening |
| スコーピング | scoping |
| 環境保全措置 | environmental conservation measures |
| 事後調査 | post-project monitoring |
| 公告・縦覧 | public notice and inspection |
| 意見書 (公衆) | public comments |
| 第一種事業 / 第二種事業 | Class 1 / Class 2 project |

## Air and Water Pollution Control

| Japanese | English |
|---|---|
| ばい煙発生施設 | soot and smoke emitting facility |
| ばい煙 | soot and smoke |
| 特定施設 (水質 / 大気) | specified facility (water / air) |
| 排出基準 | emission standard |
| 総量規制 | total-mass regulation |
| 指定物質 | specified substance |
| 有害大気汚染物質 | hazardous air pollutants |
| 粉じん (一般 / 特定) | dust (general / specified) |
| 排水基準 | effluent standard |
| 上乗せ基準 | more stringent prefectural standard |
| 横出し基準 | broader-scope prefectural standard |
| 公共用水域 | public water area |
| 地下水汚染 | groundwater contamination |
| 工場及び事業場 | factories and business establishments |
| 届出 (設置届出 / 変更届出) | notification (installation / modification) |
| 公害防止管理者 | pollution-control manager |

## Waste Management

| Japanese | English |
|---|---|
| 廃棄物 | waste |
| 一般廃棄物 | general (municipal) waste |
| 産業廃棄物 | industrial waste |
| 特別管理廃棄物 (特別管理産業廃棄物) | specially controlled (industrial) waste |
| 排出事業者責任 | waste-producer responsibility |
| 廃棄物処理施設 | waste treatment facility |
| 廃棄物処理業の許可 | waste-treatment business permit |
| 収集運搬業 / 処分業 | collection-transport / disposal business |
| マニフェスト制度 | manifest system |
| 電子マニフェスト (JWNET) | electronic manifest (JWNET) |
| 産業廃棄物処理委託 | industrial waste treatment consignment |
| 廃棄物の減量化 / 再生利用 | waste reduction / reuse-recycling |
| 循環型社会形成推進基本法 | Basic Act on Establishing a Sound Material-Cycle Society |
| 資源循環 | resource circulation |
| 拡大生産者責任 | extended producer responsibility |
| 最終処分場 | final disposal site (landfill) |
| 焼却施設 | incineration facility |
| PCB 廃棄物 | PCB waste |

## Nature and Biodiversity

| Japanese | English |
|---|---|
| 自然環境保全地域 | nature conservation area |
| 自然公園 (国立公園 / 国定公園 / 都道府県立自然公園) | natural park (national / quasi-national / prefectural) |
| 特別保護地区 / 特別地域 | special protection zone / special zone |
| 普通地域 | ordinary zone |
| 保安林 | protection forest |
| 絶滅危惧種 | endangered species |
| 国内希少野生動植物種 | domestic rare wild flora and fauna species |
| 生息地等保護区 | habitat protection area |
| CITES (ワシントン条約) | CITES |
| 特定外来生物 | designated invasive alien species |
| 生物多様性基本法 | Biodiversity Basic Act |
| 遺伝子組換え生物等 (カルタヘナ法) | LMOs (Cartagena Protocol Act) |
| 自然再興 (30 by 30) | nature positive (30-by-30) |
| OECM (保護地域以外の生物多様性保全) | OECM |

## Chemicals and Biocides

| Japanese | English |
|---|---|
| 化審法 (CSCL) | Chemical Substances Control Act |
| 第一種特定化学物質 | Class I specified chemical substance |
| 第二種特定化学物質 | Class II specified chemical substance |
| 監視化学物質 | monitoring chemical substance |
| 優先評価化学物質 | priority-assessment chemical substance |
| PRTR 制度 | PRTR system |
| SDS (安全データシート) | safety data sheet |
| 毒物及び劇物取締法 | Poisonous and Deleterious Substances Control Act |
| 消防法 (危険物) | Fire Service Act (hazardous materials) |
| 労働安全衛生法 | Industrial Safety and Health Act |

## Contaminated Land and Environmental Liability

| Japanese | English |
|---|---|
| 土壌汚染 | soil contamination |
| 要措置区域 | area requiring action |
| 形質変更時要届出区域 | area requiring notification upon alteration |
| 土地の形質変更 | alteration of land character |
| 指定調査機関 | designated investigation agency |
| 土壌汚染状況調査 | soil-contamination status investigation |
| 有害物質使用特定施設 | hazardous-substance-using specified facility |
| 要措置区域等台帳 | register of required-action areas |
| 汚染の除去等の措置 | contamination removal measures |
| 掘削除去 | excavation removal |
| 原位置浄化 | in-situ purification |
| 封じ込め | containment |
| 汚染者負担原則 | polluter-pays principle |
| 公害健康被害の補償 | environmental pollution health damage compensation |

## Climate and Air

| Japanese | English |
|---|---|
| 地球温暖化対策 | global warming countermeasures |
| カーボンニュートラル | carbon neutrality |
| 2050年カーボンニュートラル | 2050 carbon neutrality |
| 温室効果ガス排出量算定・報告・公表制度 | GHG emissions calculation, reporting and disclosure system |
| 地球温暖化対策計画 | Plan for Global Warming Countermeasures |
| GX (グリーントランスフォーメーション) | Green Transformation |
| GX-ETS | GX-ETS (voluntary emissions trading system) |
| 成長志向型カーボンプライシング | growth-oriented carbon pricing |
| 地球温暖化対策税 | global warming countermeasures tax (carbon tax) |
| J-クレジット制度 | J-Credit Scheme |
| 東京都キャップ&トレード制度 | Tokyo Cap-and-Trade Program |
| 埼玉県目標設定型排出量取引 | Saitama Target-Setting Emissions Trading |
| 二国間クレジット制度 (JCM) | Joint Crediting Mechanism |
| 省エネ法 定期報告 | Energy Conservation Act periodic report |
| 大気環境基準 | ambient air-quality standard |

## Construction, Planning and City Planning

| Japanese | English |
|---|---|
| 建築確認 | building confirmation |
| 確認済証 | confirmation certificate |
| 検査済証 | inspection certificate |
| 用途地域 (12 種) | use zones (12 categories) |
| 市街化区域 / 市街化調整区域 | urbanization promotion area / urbanization control area |
| 開発許可 | development permit |
| 建ぺい率 / 容積率 | building coverage ratio / floor area ratio |
| 高さ制限 / 日影規制 | height restriction / shadow regulation |
| 景観法 / 景観計画 | Landscape Act / Landscape Plan |
| 都市計画決定 | city-planning decision |
| 地区計画 | district plan |
| 文化財保護法 | Cultural Properties Protection Act |
| 伝統的建造物群保存地区 | preservation district for groups of traditional buildings |
| 土地収用 | land expropriation |

## Enforcement and Procedure

| Japanese | English |
|---|---|
| 立入検査 | on-site inspection |
| 改善命令 | improvement order |
| 使用停止命令 | use-suspension order |
| 許可取消 | revocation of permit |
| 公害紛争処理制度 | pollution-dispute resolution system |
| 公害等調整委員会 | Environmental Disputes Coordination Commission |
| 公害健康被害補償法 | Pollution-Related Health Damage Compensation Act |
| 行政不服審査請求 | administrative review request |
| 行政訴訟 | administrative litigation |
| 住民訴訟 | resident lawsuit |
| 環境刑事罰 | environmental criminal penalties |
| オーフス条約 (非締約国) | Aarhus Convention (Japan not a party) |

## Notes

- **Basic Environment Act (環境基本法)**: Framework statute (1993).
  Establishes environmental-protection principles, roles of national and
  local government, and environmental quality standards (環境基準) for air,
  water, noise, soil and dioxins. Under-updated but remains foundational.
- **Environmental Impact Assessment Act (1997, as amended 2011)**: Four-stage
  procedure — 配慮書 → 方法書 → 準備書 → 評価書 (+ 報告書 follow-up). Scale-
  based Class 1 (mandatory) and Class 2 (screening) projects. Covers major
  infrastructure (roads, dams, power plants, urban development, land
  reclamation). Not universally applicable to all projects — some sectors
  have separate regimes.
- **Prefectural permitting competence**: Most permitting (air, water, waste,
  soil) is delegated to prefectural governors or mayors of designated cities.
  Upward-stringency (上乗せ) and broader-scope (横出し) regulation allowed at
  prefectural level. Always identify competent authority — may vary by facility
  scale even within the same city.
- **Pollution Control Manager (公害防止管理者)**: Designated facilities must
  appoint a qualified pollution-control manager under the Act on the
  Improvement of Pollution Prevention Systems in Specified Factories.
  Categorized by pollutant type and scale. Central concept in Japanese
  industrial compliance translations.
- **Waste Management Act and producer responsibility**: Japan's producer-
  responsibility regime is splintered across multiple recycling laws —
  containers and packaging, home appliances, construction materials, food,
  automobiles, small electrical appliances. Each imposes separate duties on
  producers. Industrial waste = producer responsibility (排出事業者責任);
  municipalities handle general waste. Manifest system (JWNET) electronic.
- **Soil Contamination Countermeasures Act (2003, major 2010 amendment)**:
  Triggers — (i) cessation of use of hazardous-substance-using specified
  facility, (ii) alteration of land character on sites ≥3,000 m² where
  contamination is suspected, (iii) ordering by prefectural governor. Two
  area designations — 要措置区域 (action required) and 形質変更時要届出区域
  (notification on alteration). Most Japanese soil contamination is managed
  outside the formal regime via voluntary investigation. Central in M&A
  environmental due diligence.
- **2050 Carbon Neutrality Declaration**: Declared by PM Suga in October
  2020. Legislated via 2021 amendment to Global Warming Countermeasures Act.
  Associated with 2030 target of 46% reduction from 2013 levels.
- **GX (Green Transformation) and GX-ETS**: "Growth-Oriented Carbon Pricing"
  policy announced 2023. GX-ETS launched April 2023 as voluntary emissions
  trading among 750+ participating companies. Mandatory phase begins FY2026;
  auctioning for power sector from FY2033. Carbon surcharge (炭素賦課金) on
  fossil-fuel importers from FY2028. Flag as evolving regime.
- **J-Credit Scheme**: National voluntary offset credit scheme certifying
  emissions reductions and removals. Administered by METI / Ministry of
  Environment / Ministry of Agriculture. Covers energy efficiency,
  renewable energy, forest management. Credits tradable and usable for
  reporting under various schemes.
- **Tokyo Cap-and-Trade**: World's first subnational cap-and-trade scheme
  launched April 2010 by Tokyo Metropolitan Government. Covers large office
  buildings and factories. Saitama Prefecture operates linked program.
  Independent from national GX-ETS — flag in subnational permitting
  translations.
- **Pollution disputes — 公害紛争処理**: Quasi-judicial dispute-resolution
  system under Pollution-Related Dispute Resolution Act. Environmental
  Disputes Coordination Commission (公調委) handles major matters;
  prefectural Pollution Review Boards handle local matters. Alternative to
  civil litigation for pollution-damage claims. Distinctive Japanese
  feature — no direct English analogue.
- **Building Standards Act / City Planning Act**: 用途地域 (use zones)
  recently increased to 13 categories. Building confirmation (建築確認) is
  pre-construction regulatory check; separate "kaihatsu kyoka" (development
  permit) for land development. 建ぺい率 / 容積率 zoning parameters central
  in real-estate translations.
- **Japan and Aarhus Convention**: Japan has not ratified Aarhus. Public-
  participation and information-access rights derive from domestic statutes
  — Public Notice/Inspection procedures in EIA Act, Administrative Procedure
  Act, Information Disclosure Act. Narrower standing rules for
  environmental litigation than in Aarhus signatory states.
- **Cross-references**: See `japanese-real-estate.md` for building
  confirmations and city-planning law; `japanese-energy-infrastructure.md`
  for renewable-energy permitting and GX-ETS; `japanese-corporate-ma-jv.md`
  for environmental reps and warranties; `japanese-litigation-settlement.md`
  for administrative-court procedure.
