History and Current Status of Japan-China Environmental Cooperation - 2007 to 2020s

History and Current Status of Japan-China Environmental Cooperation - 2007 to 2020s

April 2007
A Japan-China summit meeting between Premier Wen Jiabao and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was held and a "Joint Statement on Further Strengthening Environmental Protection Cooperation" was announced. This statement clarified specific cooperation in 10 areas including reducing NOx (nitrogen oxides) emissions and preventing yellow dust through the development of acid rain and yellow dust monitoring networks technology transfer to coal-fired power plants and cooperation in CDM (Clean Development Mechanism) projects. Additionally in the Chinese market the demand for wastewater treatment and measurement equipment exceeded supply with the 2006 production value of environmental protection equipment reaching a year-on-year increase of 20.8% to 700 billion yuan and sales reaching approximately 1000 billion yuan. For Japanese companies the Chinese market was attractive but insufficient intellectual property protection posed barriers to entry. However the statement aimed to advance IP prote
ction paving the way for companies like Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Hitachi to accelerate technology transfer and market entry.

Developments in the 2010s
Entering the 2010s Japan-China environmental cooperation reached a new stage. In 2012 the Chinese government announced the "Action Plan for Air Pollution Prevention" targeting the reduction of PM2.5 (fine particulate matter). Based on this plan China nationwide implemented efficiency improvements and emission reduction equipment at coal-fired power plants with active involvement from Japanese companies. For instance Kawasaki Heavy Industries provided emission reduction technology for coal-fired power plants which was implemented in multiple facilities in inland China.

In addition the Paris Agreement came into effect in 2016 accelerating the adoption of renewable energy in China. Japanese companies played a crucial role in supplying technology for solar and wind power generation with Sharp and Kyocera participating in solar power projects across China. Meanwhile Chinese domestic companies such as BYD and Huawei Technologies grew rapidly achieving global competitiveness in battery and smart grid sectors.

Developments in the 2020s
In the 2020s Japan-China environmental cooperation deepened further. In September 2020 Chinese President Xi Jinping announced at the UN General Assembly the goal of "peaking carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060." Following this policy China advanced environmental measures based on "pollution and carbon reduction" (reducing pollutants and carbon dioxide emissions).

Japanese companies responded to this trend by expanding their environmental businesses in the Chinese market. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Hitachi participated in projects focused on air pollution control and renewable energy. According to a JETRO survey 61.9% of Japanese companies operating in China implemented measures to comply with new environmental regulations in fiscal 2020.

Local government-level cooperation also progressed with Kyoto City and Xi'an City collaborating to improve air quality through technical training and information exchange. These efforts significantly contributed not only to strengthening Japan-China relations but also to environmental protection across Asia.

Summary
Starting with the joint statement in 2007 Japan-China environmental cooperation achieved tangible results through policies and technology transfer in the 2010s and established multi-layered partnerships at the national corporate and local government levels in the 2020s. Japan-China cooperation addressing global challenges such as climate change and air pollution serves as a foundation for a sustainable future in the region.