Environment

It has been said that the 21st century is the “century of the environment.” Neither corporations nor local governments can avoid having to address environmental issues. Given recent calls for greater corporate social responsibility (CSR), there will be increasing awareness of the importance of environment-related matters.

Local governments may receive complaints from local residents and others regarding establishment of facilities such as municipal roads, waste disposal facilities, and the like, granting of permission for establishment thereof, and maintenance and management of such facilities. Such authorities may be required to provide administrative responses to the aforementioned complaints and may be served with petitions for pollution arbitration in some cases. In the process of various types of consultation with corporations and local governments, we advise on pollution issues related to the aforementioned facilities, and represent our clients in pollution arbitration.

Adverse environmental effects such as air pollution, water pollution, soil pollution, noise, vibration, land subsidence, and odors can be generated during everyday business activities by corporations in various lines of business, as well as by manufacturers, developers, and general construction contractors (including local public corporations).

Asbestos-related harm has recently been the subject of issues related to employers’ duty of care for employee safety and prevention of industrial accidents. Moreover, such issues could develop into health hazard problems for local residents. And, following institution of the Soil Contamination Countermeasures Act, it may be necessary for anyone who becomes a concerned party in a land sale-and-purchase transaction to respond, to an unforeseen soil pollution issue.

We have been involved in consultations related to pollution and have provided appropriate legal advice to various corporations. We also represent our clients in suits related to air pollution, water pollution, noise, vibration, land subsidence, asbestos present in buildings, and the like. This has given us the experience and know-how to handle pollution-related disputes.