Although in 2011 Japan finally decided not to participate in the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, under the principles of sustainable development and common but differentiated responsibilities, it has probed the ways in which the ‘ultimate objective’ of the UNFCCC will be realized in the international community. With regard to socalled ‘emissions trading,’ since the middle of the 2000s, Japan has continuously adopted various methods and approaches for domestic emissions trading at local and central government levels. This article analyzes Japan’s recent efforts in introducing emissions trading schemes and finally refers to the Joint Crediting Mechanism, which covers the period until a future new agreement under the UNFCCC comes into effect.

This paper examines the early operation of the Kyoto Protocol’s non-compliance procedure since 2006. Several important non-compliance cases recently or currently before the Kyoto Compliance Committee of the procedures and mechanisms deserve to be analysed and discussed. As we may see, the enforcement branch of the Compliance Committee has dealt with some important cases of non-compliance; Among them, from the viewpoint of interpretation or application of international environmental treaties, the question of compliance by Croatia would be particularly interesting. What must be noticed is that the Kyoto Protocol’s NCP has prepared a multilateral forum which enables both the parties and the enforcement branch to base their arguments on international legal perspectives. This examination will also contribute to contested theories of compliance with international legal rules.

The excellent and characteristic capacitor performance of pure single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), which differ from conventional activated carbon electrodes, is reported. SWNTs with little bundling showed higher specific capacitance than activated carbons. High operating voltage can be expected for pure SWNTs without metal contamination and graphene edge structure.

We developed the copper core ball electroplated with Sn-Ag-Cu of the eutectic composition which used mostly as Pb free solder ball with high reliability. In order to search for the practicality of this developed copper core ball, the evaluation was executed by measuring the initial joint strength of the sample mounted on the substrate and reflowed and by measuring the joint strength of the sample after the high temperature leaving test and the constant temperature and the humidity leaving test. This evaluation was compered with those of the usual other copper core balls electroplated with (Sn,Sn-Ag,Sn-Cu,Sn-Bi) and the Sn-Ag-Cu solder ball.

This study was conducted to improve the durability and decrease the friction of the sintered bushing used in the joints of construction equipment. Research was carried out to examine the effects of the groove pattern on the inner surface. The following results were obtained: (1) The bushing (EK Bush) with grooves on the inner diameter showed increased durability as compared to a non-grooved bushing. (2) The helical-grooved bushing showed the least amount of wear; it was １/10 of the wear of the non-grooved bushing. (3) If the distance between grooves was decreased, then the coefficient of friction also decreased.

WC-TiC-TaC binderless cemented carbide was oxidized under low partial pressure of oxygen (50ppm) at 873K for 1 to 20 h. Surface roughness was measured using atomic force microscope, and effect of TiC amount on oxidation behavior of the carbide was investigated. WC phase was oxidized more easily than WC-TiC-TaC solid solution phase. With an increase in TiC amount, WC-TiC-TaC phase increased and the oxidation resistance of the carbide increased.

WC/WC interface in VC mono-doped WC-10mass%Co submicro-grained hardmetals of was investigated together with WC/Co interface by using HRTEM and XMA. The thickness of V-rich layer and the analytical value of V at WC/WC interface were almost the same as those at WC/Co interfaces. These results, etc., suggested that the V-rich layers at both interfaces were not generated by an equilibrium segregation mechanism in the sintering stage, but generated by a preferential precipitation mechanism during the solidification of Co liquid phase in the cooling stage. Based on this suggestion, we succeeded in developing a nano-grained hardmetal with 100 nm .

Researches on a superstructure built on a floating structure in the shape of pontoon type have begun in recent years. A superstructure responds by wave load and it is important to evaluate its habitability. The purpose of this study is evaluation and investigation of habitability of a superstructure due to wave for 10 year return period. In this study, response analyses of the superstructure built on middle-sized floating structure due to the waves of three cases were carried out by 3-D integration analysis, which means analyzing the calculation model integrated a superstructure with a floating structure, and its habitability was evaluated by the evaluation diagrams. As the result, the habitability differed by each wave condition The use of a superstructure is restricted according to the disposition of a floating structure for incident wave angle.