November 28, 2011

JAMA Publishes Its Annual Environment Report (2011)

The Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, Inc. has published its 2011 Report on Environmental Protection Efforts: Promoting Sustainability in Road Transport in Japan (available online, in Japanese and in English at 　http://www.jama-english.jp/publications/env_prot_report_2011.pdf), an overview of the　wide-ranging measures taken by Japan’s automakers to reduce the environmental impact of their products and production activities and of road transport in a broader context.

The goal of JAMA and its member manufacturers is the achievement of sustainable mobility, and to that end measures are continuously being taken to combat global warming, reduce emissions from vehicles and production plants, and increase recycling rates, among other environmentally-friendly initiatives.

This report describes the measures taken at every stage of the life cycle of motor vehicles—from development to production, use and disposal (through recycling)—to reduce their environmental impact, citing the numerical targets established in various areas and examining the results obtained in Japan of specific measures taken so far.

Covering fiscal year 2010 (ending 31 March 2011), the report provides detailed information on, among other issues:


  • Early compliance with fuel efficiency regulations:
    Having steadily increased over the years, the average fuel efficiency of new gasoline-powered passenger cars has now reached 18.7 km/liter, largely surpassing the 2010 target of 14.8 km/liter.
  • The market share of low-emission passenger cars; HDV compliance with new emission standards:
    In 2010, 98% of all new passenger cars sold in Japan were certified as low-emission, with vehicles whose emissions were down by 75% from 2005 standards accounting for more than 90% of that total. With respect to heavy-duty vehicles, new regulations enforced as of 2009 mandate significant reductions in NOx and particulate matter (PM) emissions.
  • Environmental protection in production processes:
    Early compliance was achieved in regard to the 2010 targets for reducing CO2, VOC and other emissions as well as waste from the manufacturers’ production plants.
  • The progress achieved in vehicle recycling:
    Automobile shredder residue (ASR) is now recycled at a rate of between 79.9% and 87.0%, thereby very significantly surpassing, well in advance, the 2015 target of 70%. (Achieving a 70% ASR recycling rate is equivalent to achieving an end-of-life vehicle recycling rate of 95%.)

As listed in its table of contents, JAMA’s 2011 Report on Environmental Protection Efforts covers the following topics:

  1. Summary of Activities
    (Basic position and strategies; recommended measures to reduce CO2 emissions in domestic as well as global road transport)
  2. Environmental Protection in Vehicle Performance
    1. (1) Tackling climate change through increased vehicle fuel efficiency and related measures
    2. (2) Promoting the wider use of alternative-energy/next-generation vehicles
    3. (3) Reducing the hazards of mobile air conditioners
    4. (4) Improving air quality
    5. (5) Restricting the use of in-cabin volatile organic compounds
    6. (6) Addressing noise
  3. Environmental Protection in Vehicle Manufacturing and Distribution
    1. (1) Reducing CO2 emissions and waste in production processes
    2. (2) Reducing CO2 emissions in logistics
  4. End-of-Life Vehicle Recycling
  5. Road-Related Environmental Protection Measures
    1. (1) Improving traffic flow
    2. (2) Promoting ecodriving

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