1. Introduction -- 2. Historical background of climate change issues -- 3. Climate policy changes in Japan from 1987 to 2005 -- 4. Climate policy changes in Germany from 1987 to 2005 -- 5. Beliefs of actors in Japan and Germany -- 6. The introduction of the cap and trading scheme in Germany : factors to determine the major policy change in Germany -- 7. A comparative analysis of climate policy changes in Germany and Japan : a path to paradigmatic policy change.
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AbstractEnergiewende (energy transition) has become a worldwide critical challenge. Unlike extensive literature that explains Germany's energy transition focusing on federal actors, this study analyzes the role of Schleswig‐Holstein in federal wind energy policy‐making. Schleswig‐Holstein was an economically poor state governed by the Christian Democratic Union from 1950 to 1988 and supported nuclear energy in the late 1970s and early 1980s. By integrating the notions of "leaders," "pioneers," and "entrepreneurs," and exploring the relationship between these change agents and "followers," this study elucidates a nuanced classification of actors. An examination of proceedings of the federal assembly, the second chamber, and the Schleswig‐Holstein state parliament revealed that Schleswig‐Holstein changed its role from a potential veto‐coalition player in the 1970s to a constructive pusher of repowering older windmills in the 2009 Renewable Energy Act revision. This study also highlights that leaders, pioneers, and entrepreneurs do not necessarily overlap and do capture different change agents.
AbstractThis article analyzes why and how the cabinet of Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) decided in September 2012 to phase‐out nuclear power plants by 2039—the decision representing a large policy change from previous energy‐supply policy, in which the dependence on nuclear power would continuously grow. In doing so, this article examines the causal relationship between three factors identified on the basis of theoretical models explaining policy change; change in the governing coalition from the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) to DPJ in 2009, the Fukushima accident, and the change in public opinion. Based on opinion poll and deliberative polling data, as well as discourse analyses of DPJ leaders' statements, the article concludes that the change in public opinion on nuclear energy after the Fukushima accident was crucial in inducing the DPJ's decision to phase‐out nuclear power plants by affecting DPJ leaders' interests in vote‐ and office‐seeking. Finally, I discuss the applicability of the theoretical models developed on the basis of U.S. pluralistic cases to Japan and the issues to be explored for the further development of policy process models.
