ABSTRACT
This chapter explains the situation of, and reasons for, ISO 14001 registration among small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) in Japan, as well as the issues faced by them when seeking registration and the support programmes available, and presents examples of ISO 14001 implementation in SME in Japan. By 1998, the number of registrations was growing at a rate of 60–70 new registrations per month. The reason for the high number of ISO 14001 registrations is, given Japan's past experiences, due to the high level of interest in environmental issues in Japan. ISO 14001 registration is still in its infancy and thus it is too early to draw a firm conclusion on the benefits of registration. ISO 14001 registration of SMEs accounts for a very small percentage of the total registrations in Japan. SMEs face many obstacles when seeking ISO 14001 registration, such as lack of human resources, information and capital.
