Japan Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies Analysis

Response (1) 

In recent years, Japan has been experiencing natural disasters due to increased typhoons and heavy rains. Heavy rains caused considerable damage during Typhoon No. 19 in 2019, particularly in eastern Japan (Kazama, 2021). Additionally, in Tokyo, floods caused flooding and roads collapsed due to overflowing rivers. As a result, Japan needs adaptation measures to help avoid or reduce the impacts of these inevitable climate changes. Furthermore, mitigation measures to reduce greenhouse gases should be implemented since it is a global warming agent. 

After the enactment of Special Financial Support for Dealing with Designated Disasters of Extreme Severity in 1962, the Japanese government have been able to efficiently adapt to natural disasters (Britton, 2007). When the Japanese government fails to implement the appropriate adaptation measures in the face of natural disasters, it may be held accountable. Heavy rains, for example, caused catastrophic damage in numerous prefectures in western Japan during the summer of 2018. The government can use this act to designate regions and enterprises that have been damaged beyond a particular point and require assistance. The standards for receiving support were relaxed in 1999, and the government now funds most remedies for typhoons and earthquake damages. The act, for instance, covered the 2011 Great East Japan earthquake as well. 

Climate change, on the other hand, may increase the likelihood of natural catastrophes as a result of an increase in natural disasters. Beginning in 2011, the government began identifying catastrophes every year. A strong typhoon hit Miyagi prefecture in August 1986, causing flash flooding. Such floods have only happened once every 200 years in the past (Washington Journal of Environmental Law & Policy - UW Law, n.d). During the flooding, a total of over 400 millimeters of continuous rainfall was recorded in 11 locations. Ninety-nine rivers became flooded, and over 1,724 damage cases were reported. After learning that another major natural disaster would arise, Miyagi prefecture began researching ways to become flood-resistant, including installing emergency drainage pipes, marginal stripping, and backup levees. Such predictions act as an adaptation strategy towards natural disasters. This strategy has proved to be effective since it has been helping people affected by floods, earthquakes and many other natural disasters. It has been documented that through this adaption strategy, those residents who have been affected by flooded rivers have been helped to relocate and stabilize to normal living in other regions. 

Response (2) 

Japanese agricultural adaptation connects the country's technological efforts to confront climate change with its unique ideas about agricultural products. Apples and oranges from Japan are prized for their flavor and distinctive shape, but rising temperatures have burnt these crops in recent years, and climate change has altered plant transpiration patterns. As a result, farmers must now cover their crops with fabric to protect them from strong sunlight in order to provide consistent, beautiful, blemish-free fruit for their clients. 

Additionally, in order to reduce sunstroke among farmers, local governments are encouraging farmers to embrace robotics, information, and communication technologies, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries ("MAFF") (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, n.d). Wakayama University, for example, is working on a collaborative research study on robotic clothing to assist senior workers with physical activities. Furthermore, as Japan's society evolves, it is coming to terms with the idea that technology and robotics may eventually take over jobs once held by the working class. I believe that implementing this method will assist farmers avoid heatstroke caused by high temperatures. For instance, the Washington Journal of Environmental Law and Policy. MAFF used a system developed by Hokkaido University for integrating a GPS receiver and remote control into a farm machine when issuing farm machine safety evaluation standards (Smart agriculture, n.d). 

Mitigation Strategies Analysis 

Response (1) 

As part of the mitigation strategy to improve the thermal environment, Tokyo has introduced Urban Green Spaces. During the summer of 2004, Tokyo experienced record-breaking temperatures as a public concern with regard to a phenomenon referred to as "heat islands" increased (Kobayashi & Kai, 2005). Consequently, a committee of the Ministry of the Environment was set up that same year to analyze a plan to improve local thermal environments by utilizing Urban Green Spaces. This committee studied Shinjuku Gyoen and its vicinity as a model to develop a system that would improve the thermal environment by utilizing the cool air produced by a large expanse of urban greenery, one of the city's assets and resources. The study committee's ultimate goal is to confirm the cooling effect of green spaces, then investigate measures to improve the surrounding region's thermal environment, and finally develop a plan for improving the local thermal environment that can be applied not only to Shinjuku Gyoen but also to other areas. 

Through this strategy, greenery offers shade against the sun's rays, and evapotranspiration results in a drop in the surface temperature of leaves, keeping the air from becoming too hot; these and other functions keep the thermal environment improved. With the many trees and grass in parks and green spaces, the temperature tends to be lower than in the surrounding urban areas, and this keeps the temperature from rising. 

Response (2) 

The annual mean temperature in Tokyo has risen by about 3 degrees Celsius in the past century because of global warming and the heat island phenomenon. As such, heat blocking pavements have been introduced to help mitigate the rising temperatures in Tokyo.  This Solar heat-blocking pavement technology reflects incoming sunlight, reducing the solar heat that strikes the road and reducing the rise in road temperatures by as much as eight degrees Celsius. 

This mitigation strategy is being supported by Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) by including thermal-barrier coating and water-retentive pavement installations (C40 Cities, 2022). This is part of a road construction project in central Tokyo. As part of the upcoming summer Olympics, TMG has built innovative pavements on the marathon tracks and the surrounding roads. For the municipality roads, Thermal Barrier Coating pavements are provided as part of the road maintenance and construction for Metropolitan roads. 

This strategy has proved effective since TMG has installed 136 kilometers of cool pavements by 2020, consisting of 65 kilometers of thermal barrier pavements and 19 kilometers of water-retentive pavements. The initiative helped to build 84 kilometers of cool pavements, including 65 kilometers of thermal-barrier pavements. The surface temperature has been decreased by about eight degrees Celsius thanks to the thermal barrier layer. Conversely, water-retentive pavements have prevented temperatures from rising above 10 degrees Celsius by evaporation.

Reference

Britton, N. R. (2007). National planning and response: National systems. In Handbook of disaster research (pp. 347-367). Springer, New York, NY. C40 good practice guides: Tokyo - thermal-barrier coating and water-retentive pavement. 

C40 Cities. (2022, February 15). Retrieved March 3, 2022, from https://www.c40.org/case-studies/c40-good-practice-guides-tokyo-thermal-barrier-coating-and-water-retentive-pavement/ 

Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. (n.d.). Retrieved March 2, 2022, from https://www.maff.go.jp/e/ 

Kazama, M., Yamakawa, Y., Yamaguchi, A., Yamada, S., Kamura, A., Hino, T., & Moriguchi, S. (2021). Disaster report on geotechnical damage in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan caused by Typhoon Hagibis in 2019. Soils and Foundations, 61(2), 549-565. 

Kobayashi, H., & Kai, T. (2005, September). The use of urban green spaces to improve the thermal environment. In The 2005 World Sustainable Building Conference (pp. 27-29). 

Smart agriculture. MAFF. (n.d.). Retrieved March 2, 2022, from https://www.maff.go.jp/e/policies/tech_res/smaagri/robot.html Washington Journal of Environmental Law & Policy - UW Law ... 

ReadkonG.com. (n.d.). Retrieved March 2, 2022, from https://www.readkong.com/page/washington-journal-of-environmental-law-policy-uw-law-4839152