期刊名称：Hitotsubashi Journal of Commerce and Management
印刷版ISSN：0018-2796
出版年度：2013
卷号：47
期号：1
页码：33-42
出版社：Hitotsubashi Academy, Hitotsubashi University
摘要：This paper examines why the Japanese government made an overall revision of the Mining Act in 2011 forthe first time since World War II. In Japan, the original Mining Act was enacted in 1950. Under the original law, there was no regulation to check whether applicants have adequate technology, financing, track records and exploration and development plans. Projects were automatically approved on a first-comefirst- served basis, resulting in companies receiving approval before better-qualified firms could apply. By the end of March 2010, the Japanese government had granted 8, 179 exploration rights. Of the total, 81% remained undeveloped. Total recoverable natural resources in sea-floor hydrothermal deposits within Japanʼs exclusive economic zone (EEZ) are estimated at 300 trillion yen (3.3 trillion dollars) as of December 2008. The revision of 2011 included a stricter approval process, a new tender system and a mechanism to monitor projects from the start of exploration and test drilling. The revised act may favormajoroil and metals exploration companies in Japan such as Inpex Corp., Japan Petroleum Exploration Co., JX Holdings Inc., and Sumitomo Metal Mining Co. The stateowned Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corp. (JOGMEC) helps these domestic companies financially. This paper first examines the history of Japanʼs mining resources policies, and secondly analyses the contemporary background of the 2011 revision of the Mining Law. It also makes an international comparison of mining law regulations among Norway, the U.S.A., the U.K., Australia and Japan.
