Decision-making Mechanism Of Japan's Environmental Diplomacy After The Cold War

The environmental issue is becoming increasingly important in Japan's diplomacy after the cold war. This paper is devoted to this issue and chooses Japan's policy during the international climate negotiation as a case study. By the case study, the paper gives an in-depth description and analysis of Japan's involvement in the international negotiation. Based on that, the paper indentifies the factors that affect Japan's policy changes during the three phases of Japan's involvement in the negotiation, namely, the beginning of the climate change debate, the phase of the Kyoto conference, and the phase in which the Kyoto Protocol was ratified.There were some difficulties that may hinder Japan from endorsing the Kyoto Protocol. First, Japan's per capita greenhouse gas emissions are lower than most developed countries because of its advanced energy technology, so a 6% cut of the emission was a hard task for Japan. Second, Japan knew the EU can achieve the goal easier than Japan because of EU's ability of re-allocation within the Union. In addition, it's another advantage for EU to take 1990 as the base year. Third, Japan is a faithful ally of the U.S. and always follows the latter in the international affairs, which is also the same in the beginning of climate negotiation. There was a discussion in Japan after the US's withdrawal from the Kyoto Protocol. One opinion was that Japan should ratify the Kyoto Protocol even if the U.S. withdraws because Japan should be a leader in the global environmental issue. A contending opinion was that Japan should be in line with the U.S. and ratify the Kyoto Protocol if the U.S. ratifies. Of the two opinions, Japan chose the first and agreed to ratify the protocol finally. Why did Japan ratify the Kyoto Protocol? What are the factors that push Japan into ratifying the Kyoto Protocol? How to explain Japan's stance towards the Kyoto Protocol? How to evaluate the policy of Japan's environmental policy after the end of the cold war?This paper reviews Japan's policy process during the international climate negotiation from the perspective of policy making. Japan's attitude changed during the process of the climate negotiation, i.e. passive in the begining, then hesitative, and active in the end. Why? The negotiation among MoFA, EA and MITI affected the Japan's attitude towards the international climate negotiation. The bureaucracy was an important domestic policy actor, but not the only one. The demands from Japanese industries, NGOs, politician as well as other external pressures were also the factors that affected Japan's climate policy. To conclude, the political goal of environmental diplomacy, the push from NGO and the pressure from EU were the reasons that Japan endorsed the Kyoto Protocol, and the concession of Japan's industries also contributed to the endorsement of the Kyoto Protocol.