Japan ( Japan )

The Situation of Environmental Education in Japan

Environmental education in Japan started in the 1960s as pollution education. Since the 1970s, education for nature conservation became popular in formal and social education fields.  However, education for pollution and nature conservation caused friction towards the Government and business world as it contradicted their growth policy.  In the 1980s, nature destruction through highway, dam, golf course construction, and etc. was gradually revealed, and people began to show interest in nature environmental issues.  Media played a major role popularizing environmental issues from the second half of 1980s to United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) which was held in 1992.  NPOs/NGOs and businesses followed the environmental movement and began to take environmental issues seriously.  Five years after the UNCED, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change was held in Kyoto.  This was a great opportunity for Japanese NGOs to participate in environmental issues at a global level.  However, there is a big gap between general public and people who are enthusiastic about environmental issues.  Anyone can understand environmental issues, but they do not realize the seriousness.  Introduction to nature-based environmental education programs, which are attractive and easy for everyone to join can be a breakthrough to deepen the true understanding towards the environmental issues.