Abstract
The paper argues about several challenges in application of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) to urban planning system in Japan from the viewpoint of planning structure and process, mainly based on review of existing references and supplementarily on some interviews to advanced cases of municipalities. Problems derived from original defects of present Japanese system like vague relationship among plans, lack of formal process of community participation or loose land use regulation result in difficulty of the application of SEA. Discussions and trials of application of SEA, e.g. applying assessment earlier, making multiple drafts, maintaining transparency of process, will help identification and improvement of these defects.
