Comparative Study Between the U. S. and Japan on Public Involvement in the Policy Making Process

Abstract

The public involvement system concerning environmental laws and regulations in the U. S. is examined, and compared with that in Japan. Comparison is made from two viewpoints : (1) the public involvement system about laws and regulations and (2) social and cultural backgrounds for development of the public involvement system. The comparison of the system prescribed in laws and regulations is made at three different levels of administrative decision making action, namely, designing of environmental policy at national level, setting environmental protection priorities in an agency, and establishing regulations for the implementation of environmental laws. No significant difference is found in the action of establishing regulations. However, the more important the kind of decision-making action is, such as designing national environmental legislation or setting environmental protection priorities, the more the difference between the U. S. and Japan become striking. Social and cultural backgrounds, and their effect on the development and support of the involvement and participation system are also examined. An outstanding difference is how the involvement system is supported by the public, although there is not such a big difference about the needs of establishing a participation system. Public involvement system in Japan needs to be improved after such differences into consideration.