2022 Faculty Courses School of Environment and Society Department of Transdisciplinary Science and Engineering Graduate major in Global Engineering for Development, Environment and Society
History and Current Issues of Economic Development and Environmental Protection
- Academic unit or major
- Graduate major in Global Engineering for Development, Environment and Society
- Instructor(s)
- Yuriko Sato / Tadaharu Ishikawa
- Class Format
- Lecture (Blended)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 7-8 Mon (W932)
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- GEG.S501
- Number of credits
- 100
- Course offered
- 2022
- Offered quarter
- 4Q
- Syllabus updated
- Jul 10, 2025
- Language
- English
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
Students are expected to deepen their understanding on the history of economic development and environmental protection of Japan and to enhance their ability to analyze/examine the causes of the current issues of development and environment in their home countries through lectures, discussions and presentations.
Course description and aims
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
1. Understand the major history and characteristics of Japan's economic development.
2. Understand Japan's environmental problems caused by economic development and the efforts to solve them.
3. Have a clearer view on the causes of the uneven development and environmental destruction in their home countries.
4. Understand the issues related with uneven development and environmental destruction in the countries of their classmates.
Keywords
Economic development, Environmental protection, Policies, International cooperation, Regional cooperation
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
The first five classes will be mainly composed of lectures and discussions. In the last two classes students will give presentations on how to solve the problems caused by uneven development and environmental destruction in their home countries. The wrap up discussion will be held in the last class.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Outline of the course, Overview of the history of Japan, Meiji restration and Modernization | Details will be instructed in each class |
| Class 2 | Recycle system during Edo period, Environmental pollution caused by the Ashio Copper Mine | |
| Class 3 | Industrialization during Taisho and early Showa period, Post-war reconstruction | |
| Class 4 | Rapid economic development and iron triangle | |
| Class 5 | Environmental pollution, Basic Act for Environmental Pollution Control, Oil shock, Bubble economy and its collapse | |
| Class 6 | The specific issues related with development and/or environmental destruction in students' home countries-East Asia, South East Asia | |
| Class 7 | The specific issues related with development and/or environmental destruction in students' home countries-South Asia and other regions |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
No specific text in this course.
Reference books, course materials, etc.
References will be introduced during the course according to the topics.
Evaluation methods and criteria
The evaluation of understanding of each class 40%, Presentation 40%, Report 20%
Related courses
- GEG.S401 ： Environmental Policy
Prerequisites
There is no prerequisite to take this course.