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Reports on the efforts of representatives of the Commission and the Government of Japan to meet for high-level consultations on the environment. Need for a more rational approach on forestry issues; Ratification of Kyoto Protocol; Regular run-up to the Bonn Ministerial session in Germany in 1999.

This article discusses the development of laws and policies regarding the disclosure of environmental information in Japan. A review of the legal precedents of the Minimata mercury poisoning and the Yokkaichi Air Pollution Asthma cases is presented. According to the author, the contamination of soils by factories discharging organochlorines and heavy metals led to freedom of information laws.He argues that scientific environmental impact assessments require the free release of environmental data and that companies benefit by making their environmentally friendly products with Eco Marks more competitive.

This article presents a declaration from the delegates to the World Conference on Disaster Reduction from January 18-22, 2005 in Kobe City of Japan's Hyogo Prefecture. They express their sincere condolences and sympathy to, and solidarity with, the people and communities adversely affected by disasters, particularly those devastated by the unprecedented earthquake and tsunami disaster in the Indian Ocean on December 26, 2004. And they commend the efforts made by the victims, their governments and the international community to respond to and overcome this tragedy.

This article highlights the United Nations World Conference on Disaster Reduction from January 18-22, 2005 in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. The meeting brought together Member States, United Nations entities, non-governmental organizations, academics and other actors involved in disaster reduction. The conference aims to increase the international profile of disaster risk reduction and promote its integration into development planning and practice, and to identify gaps related to vulnerability, risk assessment and disaster management.

The article discusses highlights of the 67th Meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) held in Brazil in September 2018. Topics explored include updates on restrictions being implemented on subsistence whaling, the status of commercial whaling in countries such as Japan and Norway, and the concerns raised over IWC budget, administration, and schedule of conventions.

The Second Session of the Preparatory Committee for the Negotiation of a Successor Agreement to the 1994 International Tropical Timber Agreement was held from November 10-12, 2003, in Yokohama, Japan. The Meeting was opened by the Chairperson of the Preparatory Committee, Jurgen Blaser from Switzerland, who expressed his delight that forty-five Members, comprising twenty-six producing Members and nineteen Consuming Members, including the European Union, were participating in the Second Session of the Preparatory Committee. He reminded delegates that the duration for negotiation would take 19 days as compared to the 47 days decided earlier.

Japan - Experience with ABS Implementation "Guidelines for Users" Seizo Sumida 380Canada - Landmark Decision on Aboriginal Title "Nicole Schabus" 383Russia - The Rational Use and Conservation of Forests "Alexander Alibievich Yalbulganov" 386 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights the 3rd World Water Forum which was held in Japan on 16-23 March 2003. Water withdrawals; Financing water infrastructure; Ministerial recommendation and declaration.

The article reports on different topics on environmental preservation and protection around the world. In China, fines were forced to be paid by companies that pollute the Yellow River, a water task force was formed in the Middle East to perform water resources research while the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species fights smuggling of caviar. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development calls U.S. attention on its high water use. UNESCO organised the "Water and Culture" Day last March 22, 2006 while a scientific program on whaling was made in Japan. Conferences on forest care in Saint Petersburg, Russia, Berlin, Germany, and Japan were also discussed.

Focuses on the decisions of the 33rd session of the International Tropical Timber Council (ITTC-33) convened from November 4-9, 2002 in Yokohama, Japan. Focus on the review of ongoing projects and activities of the Council; Restoration of degraded and secondary tropical forests; Management of the administrative budget for 2002; Measures to reduce costs and approve efficiency.

Highlights the statements and recommendations from the 3rd World Water Forum held in Japan on March 22-23, 2003. General policy; Water resources management and benefit sharing; Safe drinking water and sanitation; Ecosystem conservation; Water pollution prevention.

Reports on the decision of the United States government to ban Japanese fishing vessels from American waters. Reason for the decision; Reaction of the Japanese authorities to the sanction; Aim of Japan's whaling activities.

The multistage induction theory is generally regarded as the mechanism of carcinogenesis. In order to prevent the initiation stage of carcinogenesis, it is meaningful to discover the functional components of edible plants. The objective of this research was to test the antimutagenicity of the functional components of several typical traditional herbs used in Japan. The traditional herbs, gennoshoko (Geranium nepalense var. thunbergii), yomogi (Artemisia vulgaris var. indica), senburi (Swertia japonica), iwa-tobacco (Conandron ramondioides), sarunokoshikake (Elfvingia applanata), kanzo (Glycyeehiza uralensis Fisch) and matatabi (Actinidia polygama) were examined by Ames mutagenesis assay test with Salmonella typhimurium TA98 and TA100 against mutagens, Trp-P-1, Trp-P-2 and B(a)P. The water-soluble components or volatile oil of the herbs were extracted in boiling water. The extracts of gennoshoko showed strong antimutagenicity against B(a)P with S. typhimurium TA98 and TA100, as well as Trp-P-1 and Trp-P-2 with S. typhimurium TA98. Yomogi, senburi and iwa-tobacco were also proved to have good antimutagenicity against Trp-P-1 and Trp-P-2 with S. typhimurium TA98, but weaker antimutagenicity against B(a)P. Other herbs did not show any obvious antimutagenicity against these mutagens. In addition, the volatile oil of yomogi also had remarkable antimutagenic effect against the mutagens we used with S. typhimurium TA98.