A Comparison on Political Opportunity Structures of Environmental Policy Communities of Japan and Korea: What brought the differences of applications of international norms on 3R

Abstract

In Japan, the ideals of establishing sound material-cycle society were published, but waste reduction measures are not fully deployed. In Korea, waste minimization policies were introduced in both principle and practice. What brought the differences of the two countries? For explaining this question, this paper focus on political opportunity structures of environmental policy communities. The paper attempts comparative analysis of political opportunity structures of 1) ministry of Environment, 2) civil societies, 3) municipal waste treatment/recycling entities. As a result, influence of the Ministries of Environment, the political opportunity structure of environmental groups, the political influence of labor unions responsible for waste treatment were found to be completely different.