As the world’s biggest plastic waste producer per capita, Japan vowed to spearhead the international efforts at reducing plastic wastes at the G20 summit. However, its goals and the “symbolic” measure of banning plastic shopping bags from supermarkets are deemed insufficient by the critics, especially compared to some other nations. Local authorities in Japan and convenience stores have taken more decisive moves. Campaigners said more businesses should be involved and a more thorough approach should be taken to transfer from plastics to recycles and reusables but the change received a hard objection from petroleum industries.  

The article presents Japanese government as a mockery compared to global efforts on reducing plastic waste. Japan was viewed unfavourably especially since the countries who used to take in their plastic waste, now do not wish to be accountable for Japan’s irresponsible usage. Locally, the author cited local authorities and companies taking more decisive actions than the national government. Overall, both globally and locally, the author seems to represent the national government as lacking in their vows to tackle plastic waste. 

Plastic waste causes severe harm to the environment and affects areas such as the local environment near the processing facilities and its incineration contributes to climate change. Hence, the Japanese government’s trying to reduce plastic waste and taking the responsibility of handling its own waste home, though involuntarily, are “green” because such moves will make Japan more environmentally friendly. 

According to the article, most of the plastics waste comes from over-packaging, which can be ascribed to Japanese consumers’ preference for carefully wrapped products. Such cultural preference might be associated with the Japanese perception of nature. Since the product itself can be regarded as “nature” (Kalland and Asquith, 1997), careful packaging will help to preserve the product, and “nature” as well. However, such traditional values might not be a major player in overpackaging. The growing affluence of Japanese consumers may encourage producers to overpackage, in hopes of improving their customer service for larger market shares. However, such economic development is not unique to Japan while overpackaging is, so there should be some underlying “Japanese only” cultural reasons behind overpackaging. 

With regards to Japan shipping it’s waste to other countries, it highlights an important point of an ever increasing connection to each other and to nature. It shows that Japan’s obsessive use of plastic has caused inconvenience throughout the world. Through this interconnectedness, the pain of modernization and the development of consumerism may be felt across the globe. As is consistent with the arguments from Walker (2010), modernization (in the form of globalization), further enhances and reminds us of our close connection to each other and towards nature.

As mentioned in the article, petroleum industries are strongly against such a campaign. Perhaps, a play of power could be seen. Despite having the political power to draft and implement environment policies, the national government’s reluctance displayed its political belief regarding plastic usage. Moreover, industries with economic interest could apply pressure to the government, showing another form of power-play to resist changes. The difference of economical power also manifests itself,  as the industry can use millions of dollars to improve its public images and engage politicians; most of the campaigners and people whose ways of life are threatened by climate change might not have access to such resources and methods.  

With regards to sustainability, the author calls for decisive actions to reduce consumption of plastic. Although Japan has done an incredible job in recycling plastic waste, reducing consumptions could be more fruitful (Moor, 2019), and should be the next step the government focuses on. In fact, recycling might not be as beneficial to the environment. According to (news or Plastic waste Management Institute Japan), 58% of the plastics goes through “thermal recycling”(Denyer, 2019), which incinerates plastics to produce electricity and heat. The sustainability of such a measure is questionable given that the process produces carbon dioxide, which contributes to global warming. Instead of reusing and recycling, Japan should now focus more on reducing and refusing plastic consumption, which could result in greater environmental benefits. 

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Reference:

Kalland, A. and Asquith, P., 1997. Japanese Perceptions Of Nature. Pp.14,15.

Walker, B., 2010. Toxic Archipelago: A History Of Industrial Disease In Japan (Weyerhaeuser Environmental Books). Seattle: University of Washington Press, p.8.

Denyer, S., 2019. Japan Wraps Everything In Plastic. Now It Wants To Fight Against Plastic Pollution.. [online] The Washington Post. Available at: <https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/japan-wraps-everything-in-plastic-now-it-wants-to-fight-against-plastic-pollution/2019/06/18/463fa73c-7298-11e9-9331-30bc5836f48e_story.html> [Accessed 5 July 2020].

Moor, L., 2019. Is It Possible To Live A Sustainable Lifestyle In Tokyo? | Tokyo Weekender. [online] Tokyo Weekender. Available at: <https://www.tokyoweekender.com/2019/11/is-it-possible-to-live-a-sustainable-lifestyle-in-tokyo/> [Accessed 5 July 2020].

McCurry, J., 2019. Japan’s Plastic Problem: Tokyo Spearheads Push At G20 To Tackle Waste. [online] the Guardian. Available at: <https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jun/27/japans-plastic-problem-tokyo-spearheads-push-at-g20-to-tackle-waste> [Accessed 5 July 2020].

Sherry Nothingam’s article in Decoist, an online architecture and interior design magazine, describes how a family incorporated “nature” into their small, urban house in Osaka, which is infamously known as the Melt House. SAI Architectural Design Office built an indoor dry garden inside a house on a small and narrow lot (Nothingam, 2019). This incredible architectural feat has been featured in multiple online magazines and newspapers. The garden separates the kitchen and dining from the living space because it is situated in the middle of the house, and it is covered with a double-height roof (Nothingam, 2019). Nothingam specifically mentions how the windows were constructed to allow the perfect amount of natural light into the house and garden (2019). The garden is beautiful, yet it does not place unreasonable financial demands on the homeowners or require constant maintenance (Nothingam, 2019). 

The Melt House itself is extremely modern and minimalistic, and the garden also embodies these characteristics. There are no flowers, weeds, or insects in the garden. At first glance, this article seems to portray Japanese families, houses, and nature as “picture-perfect”. After further consideration, the article may insinuate that Japanese “nature” is sterile, cold, and ironically not natural. This theme can be seen in many other Japanese expressions of “nature”, such as the art of Ikebana and Bonsai trees. This article describes the garden as something that should be revered but not utilized, contributing to the garden’s sterile impression. The homeowners are able to experience a very clean and well maintained version of nature, which might suggest that Japanese people are not entirely comfortable outside or even may fear untamed nature. 

The garden inside the Melt House can be considered “green”, yet this small piece of nature is incredibly well maintained and contained. Compared to the Bijinbayashi forest, the three trees that make up the Melt House’s garden are hardly spectacular. Nonetheless, Nothingam praised SAI Architectural Design Office for welcoming “greenery indoors” (2019). She explains how the garden accentuates the “green brilliance” of the Melt House (Nothingam, 2019). Most architects use floor-to-ceiling glass doors and walls to showcase the natural environment surrounding a house, but by bringing a garden inside the house, the owners of the Melt House appear to be closer to nature. However, they may be just as removed from greenery as other homeowners because the version of “nature” that they are viewing is not the same as the real world. 

Kalland and Asquith (1997) propose that the Japanese see nature on a continuum, nature as tame and nature as wild. We can clearly see in this article that nature has been domesticated. It has been trimmed and made to grow in a certain way. Thus, nature is valued in an idealised way whereby offensive elements have been removed and the inoffensive elements being well maintained. 

Unlike the lower class, that works in nature itself or use nature as a means to survive, like plantation farmers, the nature depicted in this article is different (Kirby, 2011). Nature incorporated here acts as a passage between rooms and a space for daily congregation. In the images, there is a sofa in front of the garden, suggesting that it is a place of respite and for viewing nature. The use of nature in this place is therefore for recreation and not necessity.

The design boasts minimalism and the aesthetic of nature in the house. This caters to the sensibilities of the rich, who see that nature is beautiful in its well maintained state and calmness. They neither fear nature nor experience nature’s strength, and find beauty and revere in it, unlike fishermen who hold festivals and pray to the gods for a safe seafaring. Furthermore, the design of the house is based on the client’s budget and consultations with the architect, this suggests that money is not a huge problem for the client. Clearly, the intended audience is the upper class instead of the lower class or rural population. 

Word Count: 658

References: 

Kalland, A., & Asquith, P. J. (1997). Japanese perceptions of nature: ideals and illusions. Japanese images of nature: Cultural perspectives. Richmond, UK: Curzon.

Kirby, P. W. (2011). Troubled natures: waste, environment, Japan. Honolulu, HI: University of Hawaiʻi Press.

Nothingam, S. (2019). Japanese Home on Narrow Lot Embraces Greenery with an Indoor Dry Garden. Retrieved from: https://www.decoist.com/eco-friendly-japanese-home-indoor-garden/

https://thediplomat.com/2019/11/does-japan-have-a-global-environmental-strategy/

The article by Silverberg and Smith (2019) writes about how Japan is at the forefront of the movement towards leading climate change, and elaborates on the efforts that the country has put in in order to promote environmentalism and sustainability amongst its people, and this effort to protect our Earth has been in motion since the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol back in 1997. The article links their commitment to sustainability to the Japanese respect for nature, minimalism and aesthetics – addressing roles that Shintoism and Zen Buddhism play in everyday life. The article then elaborates on the commitments from major Japanese cities to cut out and possibly eliminate carbon emissions by 2050. A long term strategy was recently implemented that emphasized that the goals of environmentalism and economic growth were no longer conflicting with each other, but rather, sustainable development could lead to potential for more long termed economic growth. The article then gives many examples of how extensively Japan has invested funding into projects that promote overall sustainability, climate change and disaster risk mitigation, stating that it has helped the country foster bilateral relations with countries that are like-minded, such as members of ASEAN, India and the EU, and how Japan has helped its sustainable allies with development in their own countries.

Of course, Japan isn’t without its flaws, and many of their policies fail to single out climate change as a primary concern, with a greater emphasis being placed on protecting public goods, with climate change via a clean and safe environment conveniently falling into parameters of their framework, instead of being the main focus of their policies. The article does represent Japan in a mostly positive light in regards to their efforts towards the environment, but also points out its motives for doing so. An example of this can be seen through their National Security Strategy, where sustainable development is simply an answer to global issues, and is not the main focus of their strategies, despite their efforts to promote sustainability. Hence, the article criticizes Japan’s stance on this, stating that its efforts of sustainability and going green are only because it benefits the country on an economic front, enabling them to be a hub for investment opportunities on a global scale. Despite this, Japan has paved its way as a leader in terms of sustainability and environmentalism and will continue to do so.

The article puts focus on how Japan is pivoting its focus onto lowering carbon emissions, development in the renewable energy sector, and water conservation. By reducing the country’s carbon footprint, Japan reduces the amount of carbon dioxide that is released into the atmosphere, which traps heat in the atmosphere and leads to global warming. Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions also improves air quality and reduces air pollution, thus helping the country to be green. The improvement in air quality reduces the chances for acid rainfall, which is detrimental to ecosystems and can cause the loss of habitats for animals, and water pollution. Given how important the ocean is for sustaining human life, the movement of working on climate change is said to be ‘green’.

The article follows the general argument of Kalland (1997) in which they both criticize Japan for loving nature, but only because it provides benefits to society in other forms such as aesthetic purposes and economic growth, as stated in the article. Is it not out of respect for the environment that they continue to fuel efforts to protect it, but more so because by dominating and controlling it, they can use it to their advantage and give them opportunities elsewhere, and it is simply out of convenience that they follow the path of sustainability. Silverberg and Smith (2019) briefly touch on the Japanese people’s respect for nature and minimalism, but also state that Japan has made use of this perspective or ‘cultural mythos’ in order to fulfil their own goals which are more economically focused, which is supported by the Kalland argument in which it is stated that the Japanese only love nature in a certain way, and if they cannot control and own it and if it conflicts with their own personal goals, then it is not something that should be focused on – a sentiment that is shared by Shinzo Abe as stated in the article. Kirby’s (2011) article emphasizes how stubborn Japan has been in regards to sustainability, and this is again reflected in the tempered stance that Japan has taken in which they are only promoting sustainability because it is conveniently in line with their goals. 

While Japan does indeed invest in efforts that promote environmentalism and sustainability, it may not be for the reasons of simply respecting and loving the environment, but instead, might be conveniently objectivized to be aligned with economic pursuits.

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Kalland, A., & Asquith, P. J. (1997). Japanese perceptions of nature: ideals and illusions. Japanese images of nature: Cultural perspectives. Richmond, UK: Curzon.

Kirby, P. W. (2011). Troubled natures: waste, environment, Japan. Honolulu, HI: University of Hawaiʻi Press.

Silverberg, E. & Smith, E. (2019). Does Japan Have A Gloval Environmental Strategy? Retrieved from: https://thediplomat.com/2019/11/does-japan-have-a-global-environmental-strategy/

Article assessible at: https://zenbird.media/happiness-in-leftovers-fuku-gohan-project-reduces-local-food-loss/

The article introduces us to an open-air market event in central Tokyo and the unique efforts that go into reducing food waste. While vendors of the event, ‘Hama-cho Marche’, are encouraged to ‘bring plenty of food’ (Shizume, 2019) to satisfy customers’ needs, they face the problem of food wastage from leftover products. With the help of organisers at Tokyo Good Manners Project Association and the local community, they came up with the idea of ‘Fuku Gohan Project’ to cut down on the wastage by 1) reselling leftover food at nearby companies, 2) selling meals made from leftover products in local restaurants and 3) using unsold fruits to create fruit spas in a public bath. Such efforts are considered ‘green’ as it is environmentally friendly and promotes sustainability.

Right at the start, the concept of mottainai was mentioned. The popular Japanese term can be roughly translated to ‘wasteful’ or ‘don’t waste unnecessarily’ (Iwatsuki, 2008). The author also mentioned ‘respect’, casting the Japanese and their awareness of (as well as their actions against) such problems in a positive light. However, as this project is an individualised case, it is unlikely to be replicated throughout Japan and the effectiveness is limited.

It ends on an optimistic note hoping consumers will become more aware through proper education and thus will be more proactive in reducing personal waste. However, an article from The Japan Times sheds light to the contradictory behaviour of Japanese (Kalland & Asquith, 1997) when it comes to food wastage. According to a recent survey by the Consumer Affairs Agency, 70% of respondents claimed that they were aware of food wastage and made efforts to reduce waste (The Japan Times, 2019). But interestingly, they also displayed evidence that they were not taking concrete steps to deal with the problem (The Japan Times, 2019).

This is consistent with Kalland and Asquith’s argument (1997), where throughout the article, they discussed the contradictory discourse on Japanese and their love for nature and environment. For example, their pursue of love and harmony for nature versus their over exploitation and pollution of the land (Kalland & Asquith, 1997). And similarly, we see such contradictions in this article where they believe and advocate for a certain idea when the reality is much different. It serve to show that even Japanese themselves are sometimes deluded with the optimistic belief on how environmentally friendly they are. However, this is not an attempt to undermine Japan’s efforts in reducing waste, but a reminder to judge the actual effectiveness of their efforts with a pinch of salt.

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References:

Iwatsuki, K. (2008). Harmonious co-existence between nature and mankind: An ideal lifestyle for sustainability carried out in the traditional Japanese spirit. Humans And Nature, 19, 6-7. Retrieved from https://www.hitohaku.jp/publication/HN19-1.pdf

Kalland, A., & Asquith, P. (1997). Japanese Perceptions of Nature: Ideals and Illusions. In A. Kalland & P. Asquith, Japanese Images of Nature. Richmond, UK: Curzon.

Shizume, C. (2019). Happiness in leftovers! “Fuku Gohan Project” reduces local food loss | Sustainability from Japan – Zenbird. Retrieved 16 February 2020, from https://zenbird.media/happiness-in-leftovers-fuku-gohan-project-reduces-local-food-loss/

The Japan Times. (2019). Addressing the nation’s food waste problem. Retrieved from https://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2019/05/26/editorials/addressing-nations-food-waste-problem/#.Xkmv8GgzY2x

Japan Resumes Commercial Whaling. But Is There an Appetite for It?

Article summary:

This article writes about how Japan has resumed commercial whaling after 30 years after its exit from the International Whaling Commission. While most of the rest of the world finds this act controversial, Japan has defended whaling as part of its culture and that this activity holds cultural significance to them. Individuals are said to have “mixed feelings” towards it due to the conflict between seeing whales as ‘wildlife’, and consuming whale meat as part of their culture. Whale meat is commonly remembered by Japanese as a childhood food, a “cheaper option” in the post-war era when it was served in school lunches. 

While the Japanese government has been providing the whaling industry with subsidies to keep it alive, the year-on-year whaling limit has been reduced. In addition to the dwindling demand and only approximately 300 people employed in the industry, anti-whaling groups believe that the industry will not survive. However, those in the industry believe that they have a chance of survival as producers scramble to find more sources of profits for the industry. 

Representation of Japan and the environment:

Through this article one is able to clearly see that Japan prioritises the preservation of their culture over the preservation of the environment since the main argument put forth by the Japanese government against IWC’s restrictions was that whaling is a huge part of the Japanese culture. In fact, the importance of culture to Japanese has kept the whaling industry alive as it encourages the government to provide the industry with annual subsidies, and also prevents those who see whales as wildlife from rejecting whaling.

However, the article also notes that anti-whaling organisations believe that if economically, whaling becomes more implausible, the whaling industry will die down as the government will ultimately reduce the subsidies provided to it. This hence, shows that if the environmentally-friendly agenda aligns with the priorities of the economy, Japan could potentially work towards it, regardless of the existence of culture. This might be too simplistic as the authors more realistically noted in the beginning of the article that “whaling has long been about more than economics” (Dooley & Ueno, 2019). 

How anti-whaling is ‘green’

Anti-whaling is seen as green as it is about preserving the biodiversity of the ocean and keeping it clean while maintaining a balance in its ecosystem as oceans are a huge part of our environment. ‘Green’ is beyond greenery that we see and also encompasses non-green parts of nature and wildlife. As whales are huge mammals in the oceans, excessive whaling can lead to potential extinction of whale species and cause disruption to the ecosystem. Whaling also leads to pollution in the ocean due to the large fishing ships used and these ships also degrade the habitats of the whales (IWC, n.d.). Hence, the agenda to push for a stop of whaling in Japan has established itself to be a ‘green’ one.

Satoumi and the sustainability of whales

Whaling had been conducted along the coastal areas of Japan before Japan joined the IWC and could only whale near Antarctica. These areas then become satoumi, coastal areas where their populations sought to whale sustainably as the whale population were the means of their livelihood – a form of human intervention in the nearby seas where they got what they needed for sustenance (Knight, 2010). Hence, with the lifting of the ban on whaling, whalers can legally continue their 400-year tradition of catching the animal of great cultural significance. While Kalland and Asquith mentioned that Japan’s love for nature is restricted to certain aesthetics or cultural appeal, we believe that Japan’s love does not akin to preservation and instead, leads to exactly such prevasion in their desire to exploit and consume it.

In addition, the reading on sustainable development by Kirby further emphasises that Japan makes choices when it comes to sustainability (Kirby, 2011). Despite Japan caving in to international pressures, gaiatsu, for many environmental issues, whaling was not one of them. While Kirby’s chapter did not address the reason behind Japan’s peculiar stubbornness over whaling, by explaining the cultural role of whale meat and whaling in the Japanese society, this article has provided insights on what made whaling so special that Japan has actively challenged the gaiatsu.

Whaling is not the only activity which shows the significance of culture on the fate of animals in Japan. The culture of fear of bears have made bear culling acceptable for decades and only in recent times when bears are accepted to be cute and harmless that they have been established as the victim (Knight, 2000). However, there is still an urban-rural divide on how bears are perceived, and this divide also exists for whaling since those in urban areas see whales as wildlife while those who catch whales see them as a village culture. Therefore, since the issue of whaling in Japan is multi-faceted, it is no wonder government policies have not taken huge leaps.

794 words

Dooley, B., & Ueno, H. (2019, July 1). Japan Resumes Commercial Whaling. But Is There an Appetite for It? Retrieved February 9, 2020, from https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/01/business/japan-commercial-whaling.html

IWC. (n.d.). Environmental effects. Retrieved February 9, 2020, from https://iwc.int/environment

Kirby, P. W. (2011). Troubled natures: waste, environment, Japan. Honolulu, HI: University of Hawaiʻi Press.

Knight, C. (2010). The Discourse of “Encultured Nature”in Japan: The Concept ofSatoyamaand its Role in 21st-Century Nature Conservation. Asian Studies Review, 34(4), 421–441. doi: 10.1080/10357823.2010.527920

Knight, J. (2000). Natural enemies: people-wildlife conflicts in anthropological perspective. London: Routledge.

Climate crisis: Renewables

This article by Alex Martin discusses Japan’s green shift towards renewable energy sources following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. Drawing attention to the Fukushima Prefecture, the article looks at the environmental, cultural and future concerns that may arise from this shift. The nuclear disaster which happened on March 11, 2011, was one of the most devastating nuclear disasters the world has seen. With aftereffects still being felt today, many communities and municipal governments in Japan are looking rampantly towards reducing their dependence on nuclear power and switching to alternative renewable sources of energy. The article highlights how one community, Ōtama, located just 60 kilometres west of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Ōkuma, saw the rapid construction of solar farms by developers as a result of the feed-in tariff system issued by the government. Under this system, electricity is bought by power suppliers from the producers at a fixed rate, which may bring higher profits for the producers.

With Fukushima at the forefront of alternative energy research and initiatives, “the prefecture has set an ambitious goal of powering 100 percent of the region with renewable energy by 2040, compared to around 40 percent today” (Martin, 2019), which is a huge step for Japan in terms of renewable energy sources. A publication written by the Government of Japan, dedicates an entire section on creating “A world fuelled by clean energy” (JapanGov, n.d.) and discusses the government’s initiative on finding more suitable and stable sources of renewable energy. It examines the usage of solar as a renewable source of energy, and other alternatives such as lithium powered batteries and hydrogen fuel cells. Japan’s endeavour on finding alternative sources of energy is also discussed by Holroyd (2017), where she studies the use of hydrogen as an alternative source of energy for all households and states that “Japan is promoting hydrogen in the belief that it will be better for the environment, help solve Japan’s energy security problem, and improve its industrial competitiveness” (p. 158). These efforts reflect Japan’s move to become more environmentally conscious as it turns to renewable sources of energy, as discussed in the article.

Japan’s move towards renewable energy, however, is not without controversy as seen in the case of Ōtama. The rapid installation of the solar panels in Ōtama raised concerns among villagers over the possible damage to the environment. Masao Takeda, the Deputy Mayor of Ōtama highlights that “these solar farms can be eyesores and increase landslide risks due to logging of mountain forests. It’s our duty to protect the majestic scenery of our village for our children” (Martin, 2019). However, they are not totally against solar energy and Takeda adds “we’re just asking developers to be responsible for what they build and work with residents to ensure it won’t be a burden for the village in the long run” (Martin, 2019). The case of Ōtama reflects the ambivalent attitude of the Japanese towards nature brought up by Kalland and Asquith (1997), whereby the love towards nature exists in only one-dimension. This is demonstrated by the developers who are seemingly in line with the government’s view to go green and expand on renewable energy sources but are in fact drawn to the economic benefits of the feed-in tariff system by the government. In their pursuit for economic benefits, they are not “understanding and preserving nature as a healthy ecosystem” (Kalland & Asquith, 1997, p. 29) by ignoring the consequences of logging the mountain forests, and this demonstrates their superficial concern for the environment. The villagers show more concern for the long-term impacts on the environment but also stresses the importance of aesthetic appreciation and cultural preservation. The love the villagers have for nature could be more towards an “aesthetic nature which is identical with culture” (Kalland & Asquith, 1997, p. 30) rather than nature as a whole. If the solar farms were constructed further away, would they have the same environmental concerns? Nonetheless, the case of Ōtama demonstrates some emerging issues that Japan faces on its new initiative with local communities and it should be taken into consideration when planning for future projects.

Japan’s increasing use of renewable energy sources brings it one step closer towards reducing its reliance on nuclear energy, but caution has to be taken in its implementation. The solar farms in this case provide a good source of renewable energy, but its indiscriminate construction can lead to opposition by local communities. With concerns regarding damage to the environment, there needs to be a regulation on the development of these farms to ensure limited damage to the environment in the process. A balance between a sustainable renewable source of energy and the protection of nature is certainly achievable and we believe it is something that can be done in the near future.

798 words

References

Holroyd, C. (2018). Green japan: Environmental technologies, innovation policy, and the pursuit of green growth. University of Toronto Press.

JapanGov. (n.d.). How Japan is advancing the virtuous circle of environmental protection and economic growth. Retrieved February 1, 2020, from https://www.japan.go.jp/sidebyside/lookingahead/page02.html

Kalland, A., & Asquith, P. J. (1997). Japanese perceptions of nature: ideals and illusions. Japanese images of nature: Cultural perspectives. Richmond, UK: Curzon.

Martin, A. (2020, January 19). Balance of power: Redefining Japan’s energy needs. Retrieved February 1, 2020, from https://features.japantimes.co.jp/climate-crisis-renewables/

We are taking this article

Japanese Home on Narrow Lot Embraces Greenery with an Indoor Dry Garden

by Pan Wen & Chun Hou

Article: https://www.tokyoreview.net/2019/07/burning-problem-japan-waste-recycling/

This article by Lauren Altria discusses recycling efforts in Japan through an interview with Ishizaka, the CEO of an environmentally friendly recycling facility. Operated by the Ishizaka Group, the facility recycles up to 98% of the waste it collects. This is just one of the many local initiatives which hopes to inculcate “green consciousness” in the population. In comparison, government efforts on the national level appear limited, with its most recent policy being the introduction of plastic bag charges.

The article looks beyond the common assumption of Japan being an inherently green nation. It points out the enduring problem of waste treatment in Japan. In comparison to other OECD countries, Japan has one of the lowest recycling rates, at approximately 20%. Restricted by the environment with a lack of space for landfills, Japan burns most waste at  “environmentally friendly” incinerators with advanced filter systems that removes harmful pollutants usually emitted during incineration. Besides adopting such technologies, the Ishizaka recycling facility also has viewing platforms and conducts educational tours that attract many visitors. As such, despite the persisting problem of waste treatment, the adoption of the environmentally friendly technologies and advocating the “green consciousness” make Japanese firms such as the Ishizaka Group appear “green”.

This article debunks the myth of Japanese having an inherent “love for nature” (Kalland and Asquith 1997, 1). It shows some of the contradictions responsible for the limited effects of Japan’s environmental policies despite the island-state’s commonly believed and self-embracing image of being a “green” nation. As the article reveals, Japan’s “reliance on burning its waste fails to put the 3Rs at the heart of its waste strategy” (para 10). While Japan is known to have stringent waste segregation requirements (Kirby 2011, 181), such an approach ultimately defeats the purpose when the majority of the waste end up being incinerated. The contradictory and non-committing approach illustrates how Japan’s policies focus on the form over substance – measures put up an active front but with little substance and lasting impact. This may be true even for the local-based initiatives mentioned in the article such as Ishizaka facility’s viewing platform and educational tours. While visiting the facility is popular, the initiative may not have sufficient influence on the daily lives of people outside of their one-time visit (para 3). As Kalland and Asquith’s have aptly put, Japan sees nature – and only the beautiful and tamed kind – more as aesthetic than a way of life (1997, 6). In this case, relevant to the Japanese concept of nature, the idea of being environmentally friendly can also be seen as a kind of aesthetic to be appreciated – as an escape from and not a way of the people’s urban life.

Japan’s heavy reliance on incineration also arguably demonstrates Kalland and Asquith’s (1997, 17) idea of “reductionism” in its environmental issues and policies. Just as how the wild and untamed elements are sidelined in the appreciation of nature, the issue of waste management is also ignored in the urban development of Japan. With the vast amount of waste generated kept unseen with “the out of sight, out of mind attitude”, incineration in facilities away from city centres allows the problem of waste management to be reduced as being largely irrelevant to the public. When being green is only a day trip to a recycling factory, the local initiatives’ attempt to develop “green consciousness” in the population remains an uphill task.

Ultimately, the issue with Japan’s waste management and other environmental policies may be the unsustainability of the reasons that drive its environmentalism. As Ishizaka admitted in the interview, Ishizaka Group’s waste management facility only took a turn because of public concerns over health implications from emissions of waste incineration. This may be reflective of Japanese attitude and reason for actions towards environmental conservation. As seen in the shifts in attitude towards industrial waste over the years, the Japanese government only adopts seemingly environmentally friendly policies when faced with criticism and pressure (Kirby 2011, 177-9). Instead of truly recognising the need to become environmentally friendly, international criticism from foreign environmentalists and local pressure due to health concerns appear to be the main forces pushing Japan towards environmentalism. While there have been some desirable outcomes, policies motivated on such grounds are likely to be superficial, as seen in the futile segregation of waste when most are still burned in the end (Kirby 2011, 187), and do not contribute to environmental conservation in the long-term. Furthermore, the problem of excess waste is perpetuated when the demand for incineration increases with Japan using burning of waste to generate electricity (Kirby 2011, 189). Thus, being green only due to criticism and pressure results in the focus of form over substance in Japan’s waste management, and environmental policies at large, and hence its limited effectiveness and sustainability.

(797 words)

References

Altria, Lauren. 2019. “The Burning Problem of Japan’s Waste Disposal.” Tokyoreview.net. https://www.tokyoreview.net/2019/07/burning-problem-japan-waste-recycling/ 

Kalland, Arne, and Pamela J. Asquith. 2020. “Japanese Perceptions Of Nature”. In Japanese Images Of Nature: Cultural Perspectives, 1-35. Richmond, Surrey: Curzon Press.

Kirby, Peter Wynn. 2011. “Constructing Sustainable Japan”. In Troubled Natures. Honolulu: University of Hawaiʻi Press.

“The Light on the Moss” CC

The article written by Oishi Yoshitaka discusses the lofty status of Japanese moss and its degradation due to increasing urbanization. Yoshitaka (2020) begins by detailing the cultural significance of moss in Japan and how its beauty, imperfection, and ephemerality underpin its appeal.

Japan’s abundant rainfall allows for 1,700 varieties of moss to flourish. The centuries-old admiration for moss is not only seen in literature and art, but also in the Japanese gardening techniques of the Muromachi period (1336-1573). The rise of Zen Buddhism during this period also elevated the status of moss by molding the aesthetic taste of the Japanese (Yoshitaka 2020). Imbalance, simplicity and asymmetry came to be valued in many parts of Japanese culture (Hane 2000, 33). Thus, the simplicity of moss came to embody Zen, making it an essential part of Japanese gardening.

Yoshitaka (2020) points us to the diversity of moss within Japanese gardens, which can contain over 100 types of moss and other rare species. Urbanization however has drastically changed the landscape and made it difficult for moss to thrive. For instance, the profusion of concrete and asphalt in urban areas have increased nighttime temperatures and harmed moss colonies. The plant’s sensitivity to the environment warns us of the damage done by climate change. Yoshitaka (2020) highlights that the degradation of moss is representative of the greater environmental consequences that will eventually befall other organisms, humans included. Yoshitaka (2020) ends the article with uncertainty over whether humans will heed the warning signs and avoid greater environmental tragedy.

“Kyoto” CC

This article frames Japan as a “green” nation, calling attention to the collective admiration for moss, cultural prominence, and common concern over its future wellbeing. In this sense, Yoshitaka (2020) conveys how nature is a core component of the Japanese identity and ethos. Japan’s harmonious relationship with nature has been hailed as a model for the rest of the world, especially vis-á-vis the West’s rapacious exploitation of the environment (Kalland and Asquith 1997, 2). For example, Nakamura (1992) posits that the Japanese have a “love [for] mountains, rivers, flowers, birds, grass, and trees, while Murota (1985) contends that “nature is at once a blessing and a friend to the Japanese people” (114; 105). Yet this nature-loving narrative is a superficial account of the nuanced, complex dynamic between Japan and the natural world.

Yoshitaka (2020) describes how the Japanese admire moss for its “subtle beauty” and soothing aesthetic. These qualities make moss a perfect ingredient in the aforementioned Japanese gardens and “carefully-groomed” miniature terrariums (Ibid.). The perception of moss as “earthly loveliness” is a manifestation of the Japanese love for an idealized form of nature (Ibid.). Kalland and Asquith (1997) contextualize this dynamic by means of a “nature continuum,” in which one side is representative of nature that is “tamed” and “pure,” while the other is “wild” and “unbound” (13). Japanese culture is fixated on the former, as it values the “gentle and intimate aspects of nature” rather than its untamed, superfluous characteristics (Kalland and Asquith 1997, 16). 

The Japanese obsession with moss is thus ensconced in a deeper cultural understanding of nature is and what it should be, namely a mechanized form that is amenable to viewing and sensitive interaction. This challenges the nature-loving Japanese narrative, as this idealistic view of nature suggests that the Japanese do not really care for the real, untouched natural world. While Yoshitaka (2020) mentions the anthropogenic dangers to both garden and natural moss environments, the presiding cultural norm would suggest that the Japanese would tend more to the urbanized moss gardens than to their natural counterparts.

“Green Carpet” CC

Moss’s importance in Japanese literature and art also evinces the Japanese penchant for idealized nature (Yoshitaka 2020). More specifically, moss is seen as a portrayal of the “human condition” and the natural oscillation between life and death (Ibid.). This exemplifies the Japanese proclivity to use nature as a metaphor for the various emotions and experiences that are present throughout life (Kalland and Asquith 1997, 23). However, this suggests that Japanese literature is similarly predicated on an idealized conception of nature, as pruned moss gardens are utilized to make sense of life’s questions while “real” nature is left unexplored and ignored. As such, the Japanese appreciation for a tamed sense of nature is a type of cultural common thread, running through the physical (e.g. moss gardens) to the intangible (e.g. literature and art).

While the article paints Japan as a “green” society that not only loves moss and nature in general, analysis of Japanese cultural norms challenges this common narrative. That being said, this conclusion is not intended to over-generalize the beliefs of the Japanese people, but rather to complicate prevailing images and ideas. 

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Bibliography 

“Green Carpet” by tab2_dawa is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Hane, Kikoso. 2000. Japan: A Short History. Boston: Oneworld Publications.

Kalland, Arne and Pamela J. Asquith. 1997. “Japanese Perceptions of Nature: Ideals and Illusions.” In Japanese Images of Nature: Cultural Perspectives edited by Pamela J. Asquith and Arne Kalland, 2-23. London: Curzon Press.

“Kyoto” by leander.kirsteinheine is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

Murota, Yasuhiro. 1985. “Culture and the Environment in Japan.” Environmental Management 9(2): 105. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01867110. 

Nakamura, Hajime. 1992. “The Idea of Nature in the East in Comparison with the West.” GeoJournal 26(2): 114. https://www.jstor.org/stable/41145342?seq=1.

“The Light on the Moss” by p medved is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

Yoshitaka, Oishi. 2020. “Japan’s Emerald Carpets: The Cultural Importance and Environmental Promise of Moss.” Nippon.com. https://www.nippon.com/en/japan-topics/b02350/japan’s-emerald-carpets-the-cultural-importance-and-environmental-promise-of-moss.html.