Air Pollution Control in Japanese Urban Transport Systems : Effectiveness and Challenges in Metropolitan Tokyo

Abstract: This paper deals with the different approaches to implementation of air-pollution control policy measures for the operation of transport vehicles in Tokyo; the metropolitan city has a modern transport system co-ordinated by public and private vehicle sectors. In practice, the access to traffic vehicles' environmental safety is difficult in such a populous and travelintensive area. In the course of continuous socio-economic development, the atmosphere and health of residents in cities like Tokyo are still affected although since long Japan has paid much attention to environmental issues. Several measures have been introduced for air protection by the central government, the Tokyo metropolitan government and transportrelated enterprises. The paper focuses on voluntary approaches, which are variously implemented by government agencies and industries. Implementing environmental policy measures in an environmentally multi-strategic country like Japan requires taking into consideration different opinions, options and other aspects of the transport sector. This paper will explore the coexistence of a system of public and private environmental policies and actions, and their effects on Japanese urban transportation, particularly the transport system of Tokyo. By analysing the application of environmental policy measures to the management of transport, it is shown that the government's policy measures and private industries' strategies have differing impacts.