Act on Environmental Impact Assessment
The Act on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA Act) requires environmental impact assessments for large-scale public and private projects that may have significant environmental effects. Enacted in 1997, the Act establishes the procedures for scoping, predicting, and mitigating environmental impacts. The Act applies to projects including highways, railways, ports, power plants, and large-scale developments. Public participation is required in the assessment process.
Legal area: Law governing environmental protection and conservation.
Year enacted: 1997
Full text: https://elaws.e-gov.go.jp/document?lawid=japan-act-environmental-impact-assessment
Key Provisions
- Article 2: Definition of projects subject to EIA
- Article 3-4: Environmental impact prediction documents
- Article 5-6: Public comment and consultation periods
- Article 7-9: Assessment categories (small, medium, large scale)
- Article 12-13: Mitigation measures and monitoring
- Article 15: Review by Environmental Council
Significance
The EIA Act established Japan’s environmental impact assessment framework, playing a key role in infrastructure development decisions. The Act has been criticised for limited scope (many projects are excluded) and for allowing proponents to influence the assessment process. The Act requires public comment periods but does not provide for public participation in decision-making. Japan has been working to strengthen the EIA process, including extending assessment to include climate change impacts.