A thorough assessment of environmental impact is crucial to determine the country’s or organization’s efforts toward sustainability. The IPAT equation implies the calculation of population (P), affluence (A), and technology (T) factors to estimate the approximate damage to the environment. In other words, the number of people, their wealth, and the advancement of technology are essential parameters of the IPAT model. The current paper investigates the environmental impact of Japan using the IPAT equation and supporting evidence.
Population
The population is the first characteristic that affects the environmental impact of the country. In 2021, Japan’s overall population constituted 125,681,593 people, and the growth rate was negative of -0.5% (“Japan,” 2022a). Although lower numbers are generally beneficial for the environment, there are several significant problems with this development (Holdren, 2018). Namely, the negative growth leads to an aging population, which will inevitably affect the economic condition of the country. Assuming the relatively low number of migrants and high population density due to a small geographic territory, Japan might face a population crisis, which will negatively affect the overall environmental impact (Parker, 2022). In other words, although the immediate decline in population is beneficial for the environment, Japan might start using non-sustainable methods in the future to compensate for a lack of labor power. Ultimately, the current factor (P) is not critical since Japan is not overpopulated, but the negative growth rate development might contribute to environmental problems in the future.
Affluence
The second crucial parameter is affluence which generally refers to the abundance of wealth among citizens and the overall economic state of the country. Japan is the third largest economy globally, with a national GDP of $4.94 trillion and a GDP per capita of $39,285 (“Japan,” 2022a). In addition, a low unemployment rate, negative inflation, and high political stability indicate a sound economy, which is a critical advantage in the IPAT model (Holdren, 2018). The wealth among people is distributed more equally compared to other developed countries in G-20, with fewer extremely rich (billionaires) and poor people (homeless) (“Japan,” 2022b). It implies that the average person in Japan can purchase necessities but cannot have an abundance of products. Moreover, the trend of “consumerism” is less noticeable in Japan than in other G-20 countries, and people generally buy new goods in moderation (“Japan,” 2022a). These factors are positive signs of the environmental impact, and, arguably, affluence (A) is the least critical factor in the current assessment of Japan.
Technology
Lastly, Japan is famous for innovative technologies and academic breakthroughs in the fields of robotics and machinery. However, although the data support the high technological advancement of the country, there are several problems concerning the environmental impact assessment. For instance, the report by Morita et al. (2020) argues that Japan does not utilize its technology advantage for sustainable efforts. They reveal that outdated governance systems obstruct the process of technology implementation that could potentially significantly improve the environmental situation (Morita et al., 2020). In other words, Japan is lacking in the technology (T) factor of the environmental impact not because of the absence of innovative devices but due to policy regulations.
Another reason for this development is the general reluctance of East Asian countries to prioritize environmental safety compared to other sustainability characteristics, such as economics and social stability. Fontana et al. (2022) investigated the perspectives on sustainability of prominent firms in Japan and South Korea, finding that “societal-commercial” and “traditional-modern” tensions prevent the companies from focusing on the environment (p. 875). Moreover, it concerns the implementation of innovative technologies since corporations have other priorities (Fontana et al., 2022). As a result, Japan has the opportunity to use technology to its advantage in sustainability efforts, but national political and social systems obstruct this development.
Discussion
Having analyzed the three factors of the IPAT equation, it is safe to assume that technology (T) is the most critical factor that affects the environmental situation in Japan. Both population (P) and affluence (A) are relatively insignificant aspects since Japan currently has a negative population growth and a stable economy. Hypothetically, population (P) will become a relevant problem for Japan in the future, but technology (T) is a more critical factor at present.
Moreover, it is crucial to note that Japan performs relatively well in preserving the environment on the global scale. For instance, EPI 2022 assigns Japan the 25th rank in environmental performance (“Japan,” 2022b). In addition, the organization supports the conclusion of the current paper that technology (T) is the critical factor, showing that Japan performs poorly in government effectiveness and “rule of law” (“Japan,” 2022b). It implies that even though Japan has the technologies to prevent environmental damage, its complicated bureaucracy and outdated traditions prevent positive development.
Conclusion
The IPAT equation is a practical instrument to determine the negative impact of a country on the environment. According to this model, Japan performs relatively well since the factors of the population (P) and affluence (A) are insignificant. This thesis supports the general statistics that show that Japan has a high environmental performance index, particularly compared to other developed economies of the world. Nevertheless, technology (T) remains a significant factor that hinders Japan’s sustainability efforts. The analysis has shown that ineffective governance and outdated social systems prevent companies from implementing innovative machinery and approaches to mitigate environmental damage. Ultimately, technology is the most critical factor in the IPAT assessment of Japan.
References
Fontana, E., Shin, H., Oka, C., & Gamble, J. (2022). Tensions in the strategic integration of corporate sustainability through global standards: Evidence from Japan and South Korea. Business Strategy and the Environment, 31(3), 875-891.
Holdren, J. P. (2018). A brief history of “IPAT.” The Journal of Population and Stability, 2(2), 66-74.
Japan. (2022a). The World Bank: Data. Web.
Japan. (2022b). Environmental Performance Index. Web.
Morita, K., Okitasari, M., & Masuda, H. (2020). Analysis of national and local governance systems to achieve the sustainable development goals: Case studies of Japan and Indonesia. Sustainability Science, 15(1), 179-202. Web.
Parker, C. (2022). Japan records its largest natural population decline as births fall. The Washington Post. Web.