Japan: Climate change adaptation plan

In light of the IPCC’s report and the trends of major developed countries, Japan is scheduled to prepare an adaptation plan for the whole government in 2015. In March 2015, the Climate Change Impact Assessment Subcommittee of the Central Environment Council comprehensively assessed climate change impacts on seven fields including the agriculture, forestry and fisheries industries, and 56 items in Japan by the end of this century from the three viewpoints of significance, urgency and confidence. At the same time, it issued the “Assessment Report on Climate Change Impact in Japan” (hereinafter referred to as the “Climate Change Impact Assessment”), while indicating the significance of further promotion of impact assessment research, and local governments’ efforts and assistance, etc.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (hereinafter referred to as “MAFF”) has enhanced production sites, and maintained and demonstrated its multiple functions according to the Plan for Creating Dynamism through Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery Industries and Local Communities. 1 On the other hand, the agriculture, forestry and fisheries industries are most likely to be impacted by climate change. Unless measures for reducing and preventing negative impacts of climate change are appropriately implemented at the sites where agriculture, forestry and fisheries are operated, such negative impacts will pose a threat to securing a stable food supply, demonstrating multiple functions such as conservation of the national land, the development of agriculture, forestry and fisheries, and the promotion of farming, mountain, and fishing villages. Thus, it is extremely important to utilize the efforts for climate change adaptation in agriculture, forestry and fisheries.
Therefore, it is necessary to implement planned measures based on assessment of future impact.