Industriepolitik in Japan - Ansätze für einen strukturpolitischen Umweltschutz?

Abstract

The paper deals with the problem of how structural changes in industry influenced energy and resource consumption, and thereby pollution. This analysis of changes in the secondary sector between 1973 and 1985 demonstrates a shift from heavy and chemical industries as the main promoters of economic growth to electronics and machinery. This has led to a reduction in primary energy and water consumption and in the need for industrial sites. Even more remarkable has been the reduction in energy and water consumption, industrial sites and industrial garbage per unit GNP. This is due to technological innovation. Since economic growth has been high, the consumption of natural resources rose in absolute terms, even though it declined relatively. Therefore, the improvement in pollution has likewise been only relative. Intensification of resource consumption proved to be mainly marketinduced. Industrial policy since 1976 was mainly growth oriented. A lack of environmental concerns in industrial policy planning was predominant after the second oil crisis. Nevertheless, the main features of policy-making in Japan like long-term planning, consensus-orientation and high innovation capacity are preconditions conducive to integrating resource protection and environmental concerns into a national industrial policy.