Japan's Pollution Diet

February 15, 2013, Japan’s Pollution Diet By ALEXANDRA HARNEY TOKYO — Seeing Beijing covered in smog throughout the winter, it has been hard not to worry about the costs of China’s rapid economic growth. As some people ask: Can’t China keep its own capital safe to Map of China and Japan live? China can follow Japan’s example. Japan feels proud of its blue skies, its hybrid taxis, recycling. But, five decades ago, people were asking similar questions about Japan. While Japan’s economy was growing 10 percent every year, people were getting alarmed because of the increase of air pollution in several cities. Emissions of nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and View of Tokyo and its blue sky sulfur dioxide tripled during the 1960s. Japan became known for diseases related to pollution: Yokkaichi asthma, Minamata disease (mercury poisoning) —named after the cities where they appeared — and cadmium poisoning, known as itai-itai, or “ouch-ouch,” because of the terrible pain it caused. Today, Japanese cities are among the world’s least polluted. Japan was able to clean up without sacrificing Aerial view of Yokkaichi City 1960s growth by investing in pollution- control technologies and by forcing the political parties to act. It wasn’t easy. The Liberal Democratic Party, which governed Japan from 1955 to 2009, did not pay enough attention to the problems caused by pollution. It was only when citizens’ protests in the 1960s and 1970s that the government was 1 forced to confront pollution. Hand of Minamata disease victim The first result was a series of laws — 14 passed at once —named as the Pollution Diet of 1970. Air pollution fell dramatically in the years that followed. But obstacles remained since the government and businesses did not react on time. For example, in 1968, a dozen years after Minamata disease was discovered, that the government accepted that it was caused by toxic waste produced by the chemical company Chisso. During the 1990s, Japan did not 2 obey some of its own laws. Dioxin, a carcinogen produced during 3 incineration , was not eliminated to protect business interests for Miyagase Dam in Japan many years. 1 Confront: to face //enfrentar 2 Carcinogen: a substance that produces cancer//algo que produce cancer 3 Incineration: burning// incineración, quema 4 Another problem has been Japan’s focus on infrastructure development, which causes ecological destruction. Even today as 5 the population shrinks , politicians spend a lot on money on building dams, highways, and bridges— what Alex Kerr calls “Japan’s attack on its rivers, mountains and coasts.” In spite of this, Japan is a much healthier place to live today than in the 1960s. It cleaned up in part by convincing 6 universities and businesses that potential profits came from resolving environmental problems. Kitakyushu — a city in northern Kyushu where chemical industries contaminated 7 a local bay — is now a pioneer in the use of hydrogen as a power source. Kawasaki is now as an eco-city, building Japan’s largest solar power plant on landfill and turning recycling waste into a business. Chisso, which used to dump Wastewater treatment plant toxic waste in the sea, has 8 developed innovative wastewater -treatment technology. The problems caused by pollution are hitting China even 9 harder and faster. Nowadays , thousands of citizens’ groups around China have organized to protest against polluting projects, like chemical plants and wastewater pipelines. The Chinese media are covering these issues more than in the past. Solar power field in Kawasaki, Japan And the government is responding. Last month, it ordered the temporary closure of more than 100 polluting factories and the removal of 30 percent of government vehicles from the streets of Beijing. With the health 10 of a nation of more than one billion people at stake , however, it will have to do much, much more. Alexandra Harney is an international affairs fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations based in Tokyo. China puede seguir el ejemplo de Japón para reducir la contaminación del aire. Hace 50 años, Japón sufrió graves problemas de contaminación que causaron enfermedades en sus habitantes. Desde entonces, las ciudades de Japón han tratado de reducir su nivel de contaminación. 4 Infrastructure: it refers to highways, bridges, airports, harbors, etc.// infraestructura, se refiere a vias, puentes, etc. 5 Shrink: to reduce// reducir. 6 Profit: money a business earns// ganancia. 7 Pioneer: the first to do something// el primero en hacer algo. 8 Wastewater: water that comes from the sewage// aguas de alcantarilla 9 Nowadays: In the present// actualmente 10 At stake: at risk// en riesgo .

Load more