Pollution

"Four major pollution diseases" were taken up in Japanese environmental problems. But, "pollution" is not a problem only in Japan.

Types of pollution

Although there are various kinds of pollution, the pollution stipulated in Japan's "basic environmental law" is seven: "air pollution, water pollution, soil pollution, noise, vibration, odor, ground subsidence" It is also called "typical seven pollution".

Air pollution in China

In recent years, the problem of air pollution is serious in China where economic development is progressing. At one time there was also a time when "fine particulate matter (PM 2.5)" was regarded as a problem. Even now "PM 2.5" is much more abundant than the United States and Japan.

出典：(中国のデータ)環境省「PM2.5モニタリングデータ(海外)」(http://www2.env.go.jp/pm25monitoring/index.html)より数値を利用。
(日本のデータ)環境省「大気汚染物質広域監視システム（そらまめ君）ホームページ」(http://soramame.taiki.go.jp/Index.php)より数値を利用。
なお、英訳は当サイト側が行ったものです。
Source: (China data) Ministry of the Environment "Using PM2.5 Monitoring Data (Overseas)" (http://www2.env.go.jp/pm25monitoring/index.html) (Japanese data) Ministry of the Environment "Numbers of air pollutants wide area surveillance system (Soramame-kun) website" (http://soramame.taiki.go.jp/Index.php) are used. In addition, English translation was done by this site.

As you can see from the graph, China has an amount of PM 2.5 of several ten to several hundred times that of Japan. The major reasons are the delay in environmental regulations due to rapid popularization of automobiles and the like.

Typical seven pollution other than pollution

First of all, "pollution" includes various things. For example, "food pollution", "traffic pollution", "base pollution" can be cited. There is also a way of thinking that "cedar pollen" as environmental pollution.
In particular, traffic pollution is becoming increasingly serious, mainly in developing countries and emerging countries (India, China, Vietnam, etc.). Of course, it is a fact that air pollution by automobiles is occurring even in Japan.

Worksheet

The example of the written is here.(PDF)

POINT AND OPINION

POINT

  • "Air pollution, water pollution, soil pollution, noise, vibration, odor, ground subsidence" are typical pollution.
  • In China, pollution such as air pollution is serious due to economic development.
  • Apart from typical seven pollution, pollution exists.

OUR OPINION

Pollution is one of the big environmental problems that is a problem both in Japan and the world. I was particularly surprised at the amount of fine particulate matter in China. I think that it is possible to improve the environmental problems in China by the technical capabilities of Japan and the experiences of the four major pollution diseases which became problems at the time.