Environmental Impact Assessments examine, estimate and evaluate, in advance, the environmental impact of a business on the surrounding area. Assessments are also conducted to discuss measures to decrease the impact and evaluate the potential overall impact from implementing the measures.
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is social system arising from the principle of preventing environmental destruction and originated in the U.S. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) in 1969. The Japanese Cabinet adopted the "Introduction of Environmental Impact Assessment" in 1984. The Environmental Impact Assessment Law enacted in 1997 applied measures to air pollution including air quality, noise, and odor; water pollution including water quality and groundwater; geological conditions; soil and the soil environment; preservation of biodiversity and the natural environment; greenhouse gas exhaust;, and preservation of the landscape.
These measures have been fully implemented under the present Environmental Impact Assessment Law in 13 types of construction projects, including roads, dams, railways, airports, and power stations. However, assessments conducted after a project is authorized render ineffective any fundamental alternative plan for project content. Therefore, Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs) to be conducted in the early stages of policymaking, planning, and programming stage are currently under consideration and the Ministry of the Environment in Japan released "the Draft Guidelines for the Introduction of Strategic Environmental Assessment" in 2007.
Sachihiko Harashina and Takehiko Murayama, "Environment Assessment, revised edition", The Society for the Promotion of the University of the Air, 2000