1891

The Ashio Copper Mine issue discussed in Diet session

1897

Ashio Copper Mine Pollution Investigation Group organized

1948

Agricultural Chemical Registration Law enacted

1949

Mine Safety Law enacted
Tokyo Metropolitan Regulation to Control Factory Pollution enacted

1956

Minamata Health Center discovers a 'strange disease '
Industrial Water Law enacted

1958

Water Quality Conservation Law and Factory Effluent Control Law enacted
Sewerage Law enacted

1961

Foul odor from fish on and off the Coast of Mizuhima becomes an issue
Law Concerning the Regulation of Pumping-up of Ground Water for Use in Buildings enacted

1965

Special Committee for Environmental Pollution established in both the Upper and Lower Houses
Second outbreak of Minamata disease along the Agano River (Niigata)

1967

Basic Law for Environmental Control enacted

1970

Headquarters for Countermeasures for Environmental Pollution established
Environmental Quality Standards for Water Pollution established at cabinet meeting
Basic Law for Environmental Pollution Control amended, Water Pollution Control Law enacted, and Agricultural Land Soil Pollution Prevention Law enacted (at the 'Environmental Diet')

1971

Environment Agency established
Central Council on Environmental Pollution Control established
Agricultural Chemical Registration Law (Standard for withholding registration strengthened, among other changes) amended

1972

Large-scale red tide in the Seto Inland Sea damages fisheries
Water Pollution Control Law amended (Absolute liability introduced)

1973

The Interim Law for Conservation of the Environment of the Seto Inland Sea enacted

1978

The Basic Plan for Conservation of the Seto Inland Sea approved
Law Concerning Special Measures for Conservation of the Environment of the Seto Inland Sea enacted
Water Pollution Control Law amended (Areawide total water pollutant load control institutionalized)

1979

Areawide total pollutant load control implemented in Tokyo Bay, Ise Bay and the Seto Inland Sea

1980

Request for voluntary restraint from use of organic phosphorus detergent

1981

The Prefectural Plan for Conservation of the Environment of the Seto Inland Sea established

1984

The Law Concerning Special Measures for the Preservation of Lake Water Quality enacted

1985

Nitrogen and phosphorus control standards relating to lakes and reservoirs were established
Outline of Measures for Preventing Ground Subsidence for the Nobi Plain and Chikugo-Saga Plain established

1987

Second areawide water pollutant load control implemented

1989

Setting of regulatory standards for trichloroetheylene and tetrachloroetheylene
Water Pollution Control Law amended (Preventive measures against groundwater pollution institutionalized)

1990

Water Pollution Control Law amended (Measures against domestic effluent institutionalized

1991

Third areawide water pollutant load control implemented
Outline of Measures for Preventing Ground Subsidence for the northern part of Kanto Plain established
Environmental Quality Standards for soil established

1993

The Ministry of Environment adds many new substances to Environmental Quality Standards relating to the protection of human health, and makes standard values more stringent
Basic Environment Law enacted

1994

Basic Environment Plan approved by the cabinet
Law to Take Special Measures for the Preservation of Water Quality in Headwaters Areas for the Purpose of Preventing Specific Trouble in the Drinking Water Supply enacted
Scope of the Environment Quality Standards for Soil made tougher and broader in scope

1995

National Contingency Plan for Preparedness and Response to oil pollution

1996

Water Pollution Control Law amended (Institutionalization of measures against groundwater pollution and oil flown out by accidents
Fourth areawide water pollutant land control implemented

1997

Environmental Quality Standards for Groundwater established

1998

Human-health items of water quality standard increased in strictness and scope

1999

Law Concerning Special Measures Against Dioxins
Policies for investigation and countermeasures for soil and groundwater were established

2000

New Basic Environment Plan approved by the cabinet
Basic plan for environmental conservation of Seto Island Sea completely amended

2001

Ministry of the Environment established
Fourth areawide water pollutant land control implemented

2002

Soil Pollution Control Law enacted
Law on Special Measures to Restore the Ariake and Yastsuhiro Seas enacted

2003

Basic Law on Restoration of the Ariake and Yashiro Seas enacted
Ariake and Yatsushiro Sea Study Council established