The Environment of Tokyo 2008

• Foreword
• The Master Plan Layout
• The Revised Ordinance
• An Olympic Games with Its Top Priority on The Environment
• Two 10-Year Projects

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) established a new environmental master plan in March 2008. Six years after the previous plan was established, TMG has courageously implemented a variety of different measures in striving to overcome the environmental crisis affecting Tokyo. In this sense, TMG is fundamentally committed to being a pioneer in realizing the assurance of a healthy and safe environment and the transformation to a sustainable society.

To date, TMG has implemented Measures against Diesel Vehicle Emissions, thanks to the cooperation of many companies and the residents of Tokyo, and achieved a significant improvement in air pollution with a focus on suspended particulate matter. We have also undertaken new measures ahead of the Japanese government and other municipalities to deal with global warming, the heatisland phenomenon, and other pertinent issues.

On the other hand, when we look at the present situation facing the environment of Tokyo, there still remain negative environmental legacies, such as air pollution from nitrogen dioxide, photochemical oxidants, and other substances, and soil pollution, and the decrease in the amount of greenery continues. Furthermore, one of the most serious problems is the emergence of the crisis brought about by climate change, such as frequent extreme weather caused by the effects of global warming.

TMG will continue to energetically tackle the environmental crisis represented by climate change and implement effective measures with a sense of urgency in order to explore the future to be shared with everyone around the world. Our aim is to realize an advanced environmental city that can boast one of the world’s lowest Environment Load.

Accordingly, TMG is implementing “the 10-Year Project for a Carbon-Minus Tokyo” and “the 10- Year Project for Green Tokyo”, with the aim of realizing “Tokyo’s Big Change — The 10-year Plan —” as announced in December 2006, and will strive further to create a sustainable Tokyo based on the new Tokyo Metropolitan Environmental Master Plan, taking into account the achievements and issues concerning measures that have so far been implemented, as well as changes in the social landscape, both domestic and overseas.