After the end of the Second World War Japan was not only a defeated country but also a country that experienced the unimaginable shock of the atomic bombs. Despite all that, Japan succeeded to become the second economic power in the world and many people spoke about “The Japanese Miracle”. The miracle was even greater due to the fact that the country does not have many natural resources and therefore the Japanese development relied on Japanese human resources development.sustainable development, Japan, human resources development, Japanese traditions

Florin Bonciu

English

Research Papers in Economics

  7 
 
THE JAPANESE CONCEPT OF  SUSTAINABLE 
DEVELOPMENT AT A GLOBAL LEVEL 
 
Florin Bonciu  
 
Overview 
 
After the end of the Second World War Japan was not only a defeated 
country but also a country that experienced the unimaginable shock of the atomic 
bombs. Despite all that, Japan succeeded to become the second economic power 
in the world and many people spoke about “The Japanese Miracle”. The miracle 
was even greater due to the fact that the country does not have many natural 
resources  and  therefore  the  Japanese  development  relied  on  Japanese  human 
resources development. 
The post war Japanese development has been impressive but not perfect in 
the  sense  that  it  generated,  as  well  as  in  other  countries,  various  forms  of 
environment  pollution.  Japan  is  aware  of  this  situation  and  this  is  why  Japan 
supports  a  global  approach  to  reducing  pollution  and  designing  a  sustainable 
development strategy.  
The Japanese specific related to a concept of sustainable development is 
that development is related to human development and the idea of sustainability is 
related to a global approach. Development with less pollution is a problem for all 
countries and all people of the world, not only for developed countries. 
In this context Japan was to share its experience in development as well as 
in avoiding future mistakes. Based on this Japan has taken steps in drawing up 
and concluding the Kyoto Protocol and in leading efforts against global warming. 
The sustainable development at a global level is seen by Japan as being: 
- diverse in its solutions (each country may have problems and solutions that are 
different from others); 
-  related  to  good  governance  aimed  at  eradicating  poverty  and  promoting 
liberalization and development of trade and investment; 
- based on programs that are owned by the respective countries; 
- supported by the experience of developed countries but without understanding 
by this a substitution of the efforts of the respective countries.  
 
                                           
 Florin Bonciu is Professor of International Economics at the Romanian American University in 
Bucharest. 
Romanian Economic and Business Review – Vol. 2, No. 2 
   8 
Japanese view on relation between development and environment 
 
Nature In The Shinto Tradition 
In order to understand the position of Japanese people vis-à-vis nature and 
environment  it is  necessary  to  understand Shinto. Shinto is Japan's  oldest  and 
native  tradition  which  expresses  the  basic  spirituality  of  the  Japanese  people. 
Shinto reflects the respect for nature and its powers, the respect for ancestors as 
well as the sense of dependence of people upon nature seen in the flow of the 
seasons and the cycles of agricultural activity. 
In  Japan  the  traditional  community  life  was  centered  around  the  local 
shrine  (called  jinja  )  which  can  be  translated  as  “The  place  of  kami”.  The 
Japanese concept  of  Kami  is  often translated by  Westerners  as  'God' but  this 
translation is not quite correct.  
Anyway, for Japanese “kami”  means any object, place, person or even 
creature who inspires a sense of wonder and respect. Therefore the concept of 
Kami can include trees, waterfalls, animals, the sun, moon, oceans or mountains. 
According to  Japanese  approach people can perceive the divine through these 
particular  manifestations.  In  consequence,  a  shrine  is  a  place  where  kami  are 
celebrated in festivals and where the people symbolically make their offerings, 
report on their activities and seek the purification which will free their enterprises 
from misfortune and distress, thus enabling them to fulfill their human potential. 
As result, shrines are places and not buildings, such as churches or temples. 
Due  to  this  holistic  content  of  Kami  the  idea  of  an  opposition  or 
confrontation  between  man  and  nature  was  absent  from  Japanese  thought.  In 
Japanese understanding, man and Kami (which includes nature) were seen as a 
continuum, as manifestations of the same Universe which are in a relationship of 
mutual dependence. 
If this is the Japanese philosophy on man and nature and universe one 
could  expect  a type of  society  completely integrated with  nature.  But  modern 
Japan  do  have  problems  with  pollution.  The  question  may  be:  Was  Shinto 
forgotten ? The answer is a clear “No”. 
But one has to remember that Japan has very few resources among them 
being also land. With a population of 128 million people, Japan is located on a 
land space representing about 25 % of the size of California. Development after 
the Second World War could not have been possible without an impact on environment. 
But in the last decades the Shinto approach is coming back helping people 
understand their origins and their need to seek harmony with all that is around. 
The modern Japanese concept of development means that the people and society 
are in a state of creative equilibrium with the universe. In Shinto to speak of 
nature means to speak of harmony, well-being and peace. To achieve these means 
to respect and achieve “The way of Kami” (kannagara ).  
   9 
Sustainable development and positive attitude  
In  order  to  understand  the  positive  attitude  of  the  Japanese  concept  of 
sustainable development it is important to understand two other aspects: Shinto 
and renewal and Shinto and human nature. 
 
Shinto and renewal. 
Rebuilding and renewal are basic parts of Japanese culture. The centuries 
of Japanese life with Shinto rituals at the heart of the community have determined 
a  way  of  thinking  that  helped  the  Japanese  people  face  man-made  or  natural 
catastrophes  with  determination  and  the  belief  that  it  is  in  human  power  to 
successfully rebuild homes, cities, societies. 
 
Shinto and human nature. 
Shinto  implies  the  view  that  human  nature  is  essentially  good.  One 
illustration used by a 19th century Shinto leader was that of a mirror. Human 
nature should shine like a mirror. But if it becomes covered with dust, it ceases to 
sparkle. Once the dust is removed. it begins to shine again. Dust can continue to 
collect and so it must be removed from time to time.  
The same can be conceived at a larger scale, for the whole economy and 
society.  The  message  is  that  things  can  be  cleaned  and  brought  back  to  their 
shinny state. This ideal of purification, the ritual of misogi, is the specific heart of 
the Shinto tradition and can be found at the center of the Japanese concept of 
sustainable development. 
 
The Japanese conceptual framework for global sustainable development 
 
The Shinto spiritual concept is applied by Japanese people to today‟s world 
and it supports an original approach to sustainable development at a global level. 
Japan  considers  that  in  order  to  achieve  sustainable  development  at  a 
global level simultaneous achievement of development and environmental protection is 
indispensable. Therefore all governments, organizations and stakeholders should share 
their understanding, strategies, responsibility, experiences, and information related to 
these two objectives (development and environment protection). 
At a global level this goal can not be designed separately from existing 
plans. The countries should to pursue concrete actions in order to implement the 
existing agreements towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Japan 
considers that sustainable development can be achieved only by involving both 
developed and developing countries. 
In order to achieve a global sustainable development Japan proposed a 
number of concrete measures in order to assist the efforts of developing countries, 
while expanding partnership with all other participants in the international community. 
   10 
Main areas of intervention envisaged 
 
People and Hope (Human Resources Development)  
In order to achieve sustainable development it is necessary that the people 
of the world are motivated with hope to make full use of their ability under good 
governance.  To  that  end,  human  resources  development  (in  the  fields  of 
education, health and gender) is an area of the greatest importance:  investing in 
people  and  sharing  knowledge  and  technology  are  the  keys  to  sustainable 
development.  The  main  components  of  this  human  development  area  are  the 
following: 
 
a) Investing in People: "Human resources development is the basis of nation 
building"  
The investment in people means investment in education and health: 
 
Education. The Japanese plan has in view a number of concrete actions, such as:  
- A Program called " The Decade of Education for Sustainable Development";  
- Technical assistance of about  $2 billion over a five year period for education in 
low  income  countries.  This  assistance  may  include  initiatives  like  "Basic 
Education  for  Growth  Initiative  (BEGIN)"  (assistance  for  girl's  education,  for 
teacher training, and for science and mathematics education, etc.)  
 
Health.  This  area  aims  to  further  support  efforts  to  combat  infectious  and 
parasitic diseases with the target of allocating a total of $3 billion over a five-year 
period beginning in 2000 (Okinawa Infectious Diseases Initiative).  
 
b) Knowledge 
Knowledge is seen as  central to achieving sustainable development. The main 
components could be: 
- Share Japan's experiences on pollution and its recovery as well as its successful 
experience  of  cooperation  with  other  Asian  countries,  with  Africa  and  other 
regions  of  the  world;  
- Promote the Initiative for Development in East Asia (IDEA) and share East 
Asia's successful experience of development with other countries and regions.  
 
c) Science & Technology  
In  close  relation  with  dissemination  of  existing  knowledge,  science  and 
technology allow for finding future solutions to existing problems. Main actions 
would be: 
-  Promote  Global  Environment  Monitoring  through  the  Integrated  Global 
Observing  Strategy  (IGOS)  Partnership  and  Global  Mapping;  
- Implement environmental science & technology cooperation.    11 
 
The relation Ownership and Solidarity - Development 
In  order  to  achieve  sustainable  development  at  a  global  level  it  is 
necessary to achieve a vast mobilization of various resources (Solidarity). This is 
essential for developing countries in order to promote sustainable development 
and  poverty  reduction  through  self-driven  economic  growth  (Ownership).  The 
concept is that external aid should complement not replace domestic efforts.  
The domestic efforts should concentrate on: 
a) Trade & Foreign Investment: Promote trade and private investment to realize 
sustainable development. As an example how Japan is market for developing 
countries one can mention that Japan's imports from developing countries amount 
to about $150 billion per year. Measures to be taken: 
- Expand support for trade-related technical assistance and capacity building by 
JICA and other bodies; 
- Work towards the objective of duty-free and quota-free market access for all 
least developed countries' products.  
-  Make  efforts  toward  establishing  multilateral  investment  rules.  Establishing 
multilateral investment rules is crucial for creating an international environment in 
which investment in developing countries can increase. Japan will take a leading 
role in establishing such rules; 
-  Encourage  African  countries  to  participate  in  multilateral  trading  systems 
(WTO).  Welcome  the  announcement  of  the  intention  of  African  countries  to 
promote the regional integration through the African Union (AU), support such 
integration by such means as capacity building support, and encourage Africa's 
further participation in multilateral trading systems (WTO).  
 
b) Energy 
As  energy  is  vital  for  development  global  measures  are  necessary  to  promote 
efficient and environment-friendly use of limited energy resources, which forms 
the very basis of economic activities. Actions to be taken: 
 
- Propose and promote the Energy Literacy Initiative  
 
c) Agriculture and Food 
Sustainable development is related also to eliminating poverty and food problems. 
Japan  can  contribute  to  improving  food  security  through  Green  Technology 
Innovation. Actions may include: 
- Promote the development and dissemination of NERICA (New Rice for Africa);  
- Extend a grant aid of about $30 million to tackle the food crisis in the southern Africa;  
   12 
d) Development Assistance 
Over  the  past  ten  years,  Japan,  as  the  largest  donor  country,  has  provided 
approximately $120 billion - one fifth of the total ODA contributions of all DAC 
countries. Japan has extended $4.8 billion - one fourth of the G8 contributions to 
the enhanced HIPC initiative. Japan continues to play a positive role as a leading 
donor, while ensuring effective and efficient implementation of ODA. 
e) Africa 
Japan  considers that there will be no stability and prosperity in the world in the 
21st century, unless the problems of Africa are resolved. Actions include: 
- Japan supports NEPAD (New Partnership for Africa's Development) as a clear 
indication of Africa's Ownership. 
- Steadily implement "Solidarity between Japan and Africa - Concrete Actions" -
and endeavor to follow up the "G8 Africa Action Plan";  
- Further strengthen support for Africa through TICAD III. 
 
Challenges for Sustainable development in 21
st century 
 
The 21st century may be a very difficult time unless the issues of global 
environmental degradation and global warming, which are serious threats to the 
continued existence of humankind, are tackled now.  
Japan has in view a number of initiatives: 
 
a) Environment-related Assistance for Developing Countries: In addressing 
environmental  issues,  further  enhance  environmental  cooperation,  including 
capacity building in the field of environment. This will include: 
-  to  establish  and  announce  "Environmental  Conservation  Initiative  for 
Sustainable Development (EcoISD)";  
-  to  implement  environment-related  human  resources  development  for  5,000 
persons during a the five-year period.  
 
b) Climate Change: For effective action against global warming, it is important 
to seek a set of common rules for the future by which all countries, including 
developing countries, will abide. Japan can: 
-  Take  a  leading  role  for  the  entry  into  force  of  the  Kyoto  Protocol  (Japan 
became a party to the Kyoto Protocol on 4 June 2002.);  
- Aid capacity building in human resources and sharing of information to promote 
Clean Development Mechanism (CDM);  
 
c)  Forest:  Promote  sustainable  forest  management,  including  tackling  illegal 
logging,  in  recognition  of  the  many  benefits  of  forests  (e.g.  preservation  of 
ecology, prevention of global warming, conservation of water, provision of forest 
products). Concrete actions may include:   13 
-  Propose and promote Asia Forest Partnership (AFP);  
-  Cooperate on forest conservation and other activities in the Congo Basin area;  
 
d) Biodiversity: Contribute to full enjoyment of gifts from natural environment 
through  protection  of  living  organisms  in  danger  of  extinction  as  well  as 
conservation of "hotspots" in various regions. Concrete actions: 
-  Intensify the initiative towards conservation of "hotspots";  
-  Work towards early ratification of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the 
Convention on Biological Diversity;  
 
e)  Water:  Progressively  work  on  the  issue  of  water  resources  from  various 
viewpoints such as drinking water, public health, agriculture, economic activities, 
natural environment protection and disaster prevention. Concrete actions: 
-  Assist in creating safe and stable water supply and development of hygienic 
facilities. Japan which has provided safe and stable supply of drinking water 
and access to hygienic sewage for more than 40 million people in the past five 
years, continues such efforts. Moreover, promote model projects exploiting 
water resources, including ground water supplies, and promote the transfer of 
technology to neighboring countries. 
-  Strengthen  co-operation  with  NGOs  and  Women.  Support  the  capacity 
building  for  appropriate  water  resource  management  (management  in 
cooperation with NGOs, establishment of the management systems by local 
people,  promotion  of  technical  cooperation  taking  women's  role  into 
considerations, etc.);  
 
 
f) Environment-related Treaties: Japan has in view to: 
-  Take a leading role for the early entry into force of the Stockholm Convention 
on Persistent Organic Pollutants;  
-  Work  toward  early  ratification  of  the  Rotterdam  Convention  on  Prior 
Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides 
in International Trade. 
 
As can be seen from above, Japan considers that sustainable development at a 
global level can be achieved by a combination of a more nature oriented way of 
thinking and a number of concrete initiatives to be taken by both developed and 
developing  countries.  In both  aspects  the experience of Japan can be of great 
assistance to all countries, including Romania.  
 

The Japanese Concept of Sustainable Development at a Global Level

http://www.rebe.rau.ro/RePEc/rau/journl/SU07/REBE-SU07-A1.pdf

The Japanese Concept of Sustainable Development at a Global Level

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Research Papers in Economics