Smog in Japan
the hundreds.4 Many different types of whale are on the verge of extinction thanks to the Japanese whaling industry. Blue whales are the largest whales. There were once around 220,000 Blues in Southern Ocean, reduced to around 500 now due to Japanese overhunting.4 Another species of whale which Japan hunts is the Minke whale.4 Minke whales are the most common of the Great whales.4 Recent estimates show there could already be as few as 250,000 Minkes from 3 different sub-species in the Southern Ocean, despite Japanese claims of close to 1 million.4 Many different organizations and governments are pleading with the Japanese to stop whaling. Will they finally listen, or will time run out for the majestic whale?
Both the number and severity of different types of pollution used to be higher in Japan, but rules and regulations have cut back on these issues. Several laws have been passed to limit air pollution. Limits on various fuel emissions were created in 1996. Automobiles constitute a major cause of air pollution in Japan, so vehicle emissions standards for various pollutants were established by the Air Pollution Control Law in 1992.2 That law only encompassed certain cities, towns and villages.2 According to fukudalaw.html, in 2002, a related law was upgraded to include diesel emissions. These laws included requirements targeted at reducing traffic congestion and pollution.2 Recently, the number of private cars has increased substantially resulting in too many of them on congested streets.2 Now, companies must produce vehicles in compliance with emissions standards from 2003. In 2005, vehicles were forced to substantially lower CO and hydrocarbon emissions.2 One type of pollution which used to be a large problem in Japan was water pollution. However, in 1971, Japan passed the Water Pollution Control Law.6 The purposes of this law are to prevent the pollution of water (including form of deterioration of the condition of water other than the deterioration of water quality; the same hereinafter) in the Public Water Areas by regulating effluent discharged by factories or establishments into the Public Water Areas, thereby to protect human health and to preserve the living environment and to protect sufferers by setting forth stipulations regarding the responsibilities of the proprietors of factories or establishments to compensate the damage in cases where human health is damaged by polluted water or wastewater discharged from factories or establishments.6 This law has greatly decreased the amount of water pollution in Japan, resulting in very clean water and flourishment of aquatic plants and animals.
Without the environment, all life on earth would die. We rely on it for everything, from food and water to housing. The environment is one of the greatest gifts the planet has ever received. Many people are recognizing this, and are working hard to save the environment. Among these people are the Japanese, who have passed many laws to prevent pollution, but still have a long way to go. Will the Japanese rid the environment of pollutants, or will large amounts of whaling and air pollution bring Japan to its last breath?