Examination & Introduction of Environmental Taxes by Local Governments

Environmental issues are to be tackled on both the global level (such as with global warming) as well as on the local level. For this reason, some environmental taxes are said to be made more effective when levied on a local-basis, rather than nationally.

Unlike the central government, which has been conservative in its introduction of environmental taxes, local governments in recent years have been active in examining and introducing environmental taxes such as ones on industrial waste.

This positive trend seen in local self-governing bodies has been accelerated since the year 2000, when the Local Tax Law, as a means of decentralization, saw its reform to expand the taxation autonomy of local governments. Examination and introduction of various environmental taxes by local governments are expected to progress even further in the future.

Whilst the word "environment" is coined in justifying these taxes, there remains a possibility that the actual purpose of these taxes may be additional revenue, rather than effective environmental preservation. One key issue in establishing a fair and sustainable local society in the 21st century is whether local self-governing bodies adopt fair and effective environmental taxes.

>More on local environmental taxes in Japan
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