The recent prediction that Japan could not be prevented from committing ‘ecological hari-kari’ (Gunnarsson, 1974) has not been fulfilled although, on the other hand, Japan is still far from being an ecological paragon. The Japanese people had to suffer terrible experiences owing to the effects of environmental disruption and have still to cope with many unsolved problems. In a tremendous effort to mitigate damage to health and the environment in the wake of uncontrolled industrial growth, the Japanese have, however, developed some internationally unparalleled, and, more importantly, feasible and successful political and technical measures that deserve our full attention. The Japanese have, particularly in the field of air pollution, demonstrated that a drastic reduction in sulphur dioxide (SO2) air pollution is achievable within a relatively short period of time and without any appreciable negative economic repercussions. The commonplace excuse ‘this may be good for the environment but will not work for the economy’ has been clearly refuted.