Editing Japan (section)

===Environment===
{{Main|Environmental issues in Japan|Climate change in Japan}}
[[File:Kongobuji Koyasan07n3200.jpg|thumb|Autumn [[Maple tree|maple leaves]] ({{transliteration|ja|[[momiji]]}}) at [[Kongōbu-ji]] on [[Mount Kōya]], a [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Site]]]]
In the period of rapid economic growth after World War II, environmental policies were downplayed by the government and industrial corporations; as a result, [[Four Big Pollution Diseases of Japan|environmental pollution]] was widespread in the 1950s and 1960s. Responding to rising concerns, the government introduced environmental protection laws in 1970.<ref>{{cite web|script-title=ja:日本の大気汚染の歴史|trans-title=Historical Air Pollution in Japan|url=http://www.erca.go.jp/taiki/history/ko_syousyu.html|publisher=Environmental Restoration and Conservation Agency|accessdate=March 2, 2014|language=Japanese|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110501085231/http://www.erca.go.jp/taiki/history/ko_syousyu.html|archivedate=May 1, 2011}}</ref> The [[1973 oil crisis|oil crisis in 1973]] also encouraged the efficient use of energy because of Japan's lack of natural resources.<ref>{{cite web|last=Sekiyama|first=Takeshi|title=Japan's international cooperation for energy efficiency and conservation in Asian region|url=http://nice.erina.or.jp/en/pdf/C-SEKIYAMA.pdf|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080216005103/http://nice.erina.or.jp/en/pdf/C-SEKIYAMA.pdf|archivedate=February 16, 2008|publisher=Energy Conservation Center|accessdate=January 16, 2011}}</ref>

Japan ranks 20th in the 2018 [[Environmental Performance Index]], which measures a country's commitment to environmental sustainability.<ref>{{cite web|title=Environmental Performance Index: Japan|url=https://epi.envirocenter.yale.edu/epi-country-report/JPN|publisher=Yale University|accessdate=February 26, 2018|archive-date=November 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181119100506/https://epi.envirocenter.yale.edu/epi-country-report/JPN|url-status=dead}}</ref> Japan is the world's [[List of countries by carbon dioxide emissions|fifth-largest emitter]] of [[carbon dioxide]].<ref name=climatechange/> As the host and signatory of the 1997 [[Kyoto Protocol]], Japan is under treaty obligation to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions and to take other steps to curb climate change.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUST191967|title=Japan sees extra emission cuts to 2020 goal&nbsp;– minister|date=June 24, 2009|publisher=Reuters|archive-date=October 12, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171012011542/https://www.reuters.com/article/idUST191967|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2020, the government of Japan announced a target of [[carbon neutrality|carbon-neutral]]ity by 2050.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Davidson|first1=Jordan|title=Japan Targets Carbon Neutrality by 2050|url=https://www.ecowatch.com/japan-carbon-neutral-2648499409.html|website=Ecowatch|date=October 26, 2020|archive-date=November 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101101328/https://www.ecowatch.com/japan-carbon-neutral-2648499409.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Environmental issues include urban air pollution ([[NOx]], suspended [[particulate matter]], and [[toxics]]), [[waste management]], water [[eutrophication]], [[nature conservation]], [[Climate change in Japan|climate change]], chemical management and international co-operation for conservation.<ref>{{cite web|title=Environmental Performance Review of Japan|url=http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/0/17/2110905.pdf|publisher=[[Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development|OECD]]|accessdate=January 16, 2011|archive-date=February 15, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100215084051/http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/0/17/2110905.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>