The role of environmental non-governmental organisations in the environmental impact assessment process in Japan

The enactment of EIA law in Japan in 1999 has been particularly significant for environmental NGOs, and for public participation in EIA. This research used a case study to analyse the activities the environmental NGOs in an EIA for land reclamation on the Awase Tidal Flats, Okinawa City. The NGOs appeared to have well developed technical expertise in gathering reliable data on conservation issues. However, their knowledge of the activities of other NGOs, and their awareness of the procedural steps and timing constraints of the EIA procedure, severely compromised their ability to contribute effectively to the EIA. To improve the involvement of environmental NGOs in EIA, the formation of networks with other local, national and international environmental NGOs can enable more efficient use of scarce human and financial resources and expert knowledge.