Two jointly announced government white papers -- one on the environment and the other on the establishment of a recycling society -- are the first such annual reports since the Kyoto Protocol, the international treaty on global warming, went into effect in February following ratification by Russia in November. While 141 countries have ratified the treaty, some major countries such as the United States and Australia count themselves out.

The white paper on the environment calls for continuous efforts to prevent warming of the Earth and declares Japan's determination to play a leading role in a global battle against climatic change. The document also reminds us that efforts to maintain environmental integrity must start at home among citizens and individual enterprises.

The fact that the Kyoto Protocol took effect earlier this year means that Japan is now under a legal obligation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 6 percent in the 2008-2012 period from 1990 levels.