Japan: Light-duty: Emissions

Overview

Japan’s “Post New Long-Term Emissions Standards” have applied to all new light-duty vehicles since 2010 (and type approvals in 2009). These standards are equivalent in stringency to Euro 6 standards. While certification testing has been conducted over Japan-specific drive cycles, emissions will be tested using the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP) starting in 2018.

Standard type
Conventional pollutant emission limits

Regulating Body
Ministry of the Environment (MOE)

Current Standard
New Post Long-Term Standards

Applicability
New type-approved passenger cars and light trucks with GVW < 3.5 t

Contents

Categories

Japan Light-duty vehicles Emissions standards

History

Japan first established emissions limits for light-duty vehicles in the 1970’s. Limit values for new vehicles are set by the Ministry of the Environment under authority of Japan’s Air Pollution Control Law. Since 2000, exhaust emission standards have been strengthened three times: in 2000-2002 (the “New Short Term Standards”), in 2005-2007 (the “New Long Term Standards”), and in 2009-2010 (the “Post New Long Term Standards”). Japan’s New Post Long-Term Regulations were introduced in October 2009 and are similar in stringency to the Euro 6 standards (which will come into effect in 2014). Testing is conducted over Japan-specific drive cycles.

Technical Standards

Two types of exhaust emission standards are established in Japan, denoted as “mean” and “max.” The “mean” standards are to be met as a type approval limit and as a production average. The “max” standards are to be met generally as an individual limit in series production and as type approval limit if sales are less than 2000 per vehicle model per year. The “max” standards are shown in parentheses in the following tables.

Implementation dates in the tables refer to new vehicle models. Current production models are often allowed a delay of up to one year.

Diesel Vehicles

Emission standards for new diesel powered cars are listed below. The test method is the 10-15 mode cycle (which superseded the older 10-mode cycle effective November 1991 for domestic cars and April 1993 for imports). The 2005 regulation introduced a new JC08 mode cycle which will be fully phased-in by 2011. Vehicles are tested using 50 ppm S fuel for the 2005 standards.

**Japanese Emission Standards for Diesel Passenger Cars, g/km**
Curb Weight	Date	Test	CO	HC	NOx	PM
Curb Weight	Date	Test	mean (max)	mean (max)	mean (max)	mean (max)
< 1250 kg*	1986	10-15 mode	2.1 (2.7)	0.40 (0.62)	0.70 (0.98)
	1990		2.1 (2.7)	0.40 (0.62)	0.50 (0.72)
	1994		2.1 (2.7)	0.40 (0.62)	0.50 (0.72)	0.20 (0.34)
	1997		2.1 (2.7)	0.40 (0.62)	0.40 (0.55)	0.08 (0.14)
	2002^a		0.63	0.12	0.28	0.052
	2005^b	JC08^c	0.63	0.024^d	0.14	0.013
	2009	JC08^c	0.63	0.024^d	0.08	0.005
> 1250 kg*	1986	10-15 mode	2.1 (2.7)	0.40 (0.62)	0.90 (1.26)
	1992		2.1 (2.7)	0.40 (0.62)	0.60 (0.84)
	1994		2.1 (2.7)	0.40 (0.62)	0.60 (0.84)	0.20 (0.34)
	1998		2.1 (2.7)	0.40 (0.62)	0.40 (0.55)	0.08 (0.14)
	2002^a		0.63	0.12	0.30	0.056
	2005^b	JC08^c	0.63	0.024^d	0.15	0.014
	2009^e	JC08^c	0.63	0.024^d	0.08	0.005
Notes: * – equivalent inertia weight (EIW); vehicle weight of 1265 kg a – 2002.10 for domestic cars, 2004.09 for imports b – full implementation by the end of 2005 c – full phase-in by 2011 d – non-methane hydrocarbons e – 2009.10 for new domestic models; 2010.09 for existing models & imports

Diesel Emission Standards for Light Commercial Vehicles
Curb Weight ≤ 3500 kg (≤ 2500 kg before 2005)
Curb Weight	Date	Test	Unit	CO	HC	NOx	PM
Curb Weight	Date	Test	Unit	mean (max)	mean (max)	mean (max)	mean (max)
≤ 1700 kg	1988	10-15 mode	g/km	2.1 (2.7)	0.40 (0.62)	0.90 (1.26)
	1993			2.1 (2.7)	0.40 (0.62)	0.60 (0.84)	0.20 (0.34)
	1997			2.1 (2.7)	0.40 (0.62)	0.40 (0.55)	0.08 (0.14)
	2002			0.63	0.12	0.28	0.052
	2005^b	JC08^c		0.63	0.024^d	0.14	0.013
	2009	JC08^c		0.63	0.024^d	0.08	0.005
> 1700 kg	1988	6 mode	ppm	790 (980)	510 (670)	DI: 380 (500) IDI: 260 (350)
	1993	10-15 mode	g/km	2.1 (2.7)	0.40 (0.62)	1.30 (1.82)	0.25 (0.43)
	1997^a			2.1 (2.7)	0.40 (0.62)	0.70 (0.97)	0.09 (0.18)
	2003			0.63	0.12	0.49	0.06
	2005^b	JC08^c		0.63	0.024^d	0.25	0.015
	2009^e	JC08^c		0.63	0.024^d	0.15	0.007
Notes: a – 1997: manual transmission vehicles; 1998: automatic transmission vehicles b – full implementation by the end of 2005 c – full phase-in by 2011 d – non-methane hydrocarbons e – 2009.10 for new domestic models; 2010.09 for existing models & imports

Gasoline Vehicles

Emission standards for new gasoline powered cars are listed below.

**Four stroke gasoline passenger vehicles**
Date¹	Test mode	Unit	Maximum allowable emissions²
Date¹	Test mode	Unit	CO	NMHC³	NOx	PM
1973	10 mode	g/km	26.0	3.80	3.00	—–
1975⁴	10 mode	g/km	2.70	0.39	1.60	—–
1975⁴	11 mode	g/test	85.0	9.50	11.0	—–
1976	10 mode	g/km	2.70	0.39	1.20	—–
1976	11 mode	g/test	85.0	9.50	9.00	—–
1978	10 mode	g/km	2.70	0.39	0.48	—–
1978	11 mode	g/test	85.0	9.50	6.00	—–
2000	10 mode	g/km	1.27 (0.67)	0.17 (0.08)	0.17 (0.08)	—–
2000	11 mode	g/test	31.1 (19.0)	4.42 (2.20)	2.50 (1.40)	—–
2005	10-15 mode + 11 mode	g/km	1.92 (1.15)	0.08 (0.05)	0.08 (0.05)	—–
2008	10-15 mode + JC08C	g/km	1.92 (1.15)	0.08 (0.05)	0.08 (0.05)	—–
2009	JC08H+C	g/km	1.92 (1.15)	0.08 (0.05)	0.08 (0.05)	0.007 (0.005)
Notes: Application to new models produced by domestic manufacturers. Applicability to continuing models and imports typically delayed by one to two years. Values in parentheses denote regulatory (average) limits HC prior to 1999 Inertial weight greater than 1000 kg