April 28, 2006

JAMA Publishes Its Environment Report 2005: A Summary of the Japanese Automobile Industry’s Contributions to Environmental Protection

The Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, Inc. (JAMA; Itaru Koeda, Chairman) has published its Environment Report 2005, an overview of the environmental protection measures that have been adopted by the Japanese automobile industry.

JAMA and its member companies are vigorously engaged in wide-ranging efforts to reduce the environmental impact of motor vehicles.  Efforts to curb global warming are a major focus, but many other industry activities are also contributing to the creation of an eco-friendly and recycling-oriented society.

The report summarizes the goals—including numerical targets—that have been established in all areas of activity pertaining to the life cycle of automobiles, from design and development to production, use, and final disposal.  The report also provides an overview of the results of these activities that have been obtained to date.

Some examples of those goals:
 With respect to curbing global warming, an early compliance with 2010 fuel economy targets for automotive performance;
 With respect to environmental protection at the manufacturing stage, continued reductions in the volumes of CO2 and waste generated at individual production plants;
 With respect to hazardous substances, a schedule for drastically reducing or eliminating the use of lead, mercury, and other substances of concern in automobiles.

JAMA’s Environment Report is available in Japanese only, in hard copy (see below) and on JAMA’s Web site at www.jama.or.jp/eco/wrestle/eco_report/

Facts about Environment Report 2005
Publisher: Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, Inc.
Print run: 1,000 copies
Distribution targets: Government ministries and agencies, experts in the automotive field, the mass media, etc.

Contents (summary):

  1. Basic Stance and Principal Activities
  2. Environmental Protection in Motor Vehicle Performance
    • Curbing global warming
    • Reducing the hazards of automotive air conditioners
    • Promoting the wider use of clean-energy vehicles
    • Improving air quality
    • Restricting the use of in-cabin volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
    • Reducing noise
  3. Environmental Protection in Manufacturing Operations & Distribution
    • Reducing CO2 emissions and waste in production processes
    • Reducing CO2 emissions in logistics
  4. End-of-Life Vehicle Recycling
    • Responses to Japan’s Automobile Recycling Law
    • Reductions in the use of hazardous substances, etc.
  5. Road-Related Environmental Protection Measures
    • Improving traffic flow
    • Improving automotive fuel economy

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