Framework Act on Sustainable Development (No. 18708).

The purpose of this Act is to ensure that present and future generations enjoy a better life, and to achieve the sustainable development of the State and local areas, and, by extension, human society by pursuing sustainable economic growth and an inclusive society, and also by seeking to tackle climate and environmental crisis through balance and harmony between the economy, society, and the environment.
For the purpose of the Act the term "sustainable development" means development that harmonizes and balances sustainable economic growth, an inclusive society, and a clean and stable environment based on sustainability. The text consists of 6 chapters as follows: General Provisions (I); Basic Strategies and Action Plans for Sustainable Development (II); Sustainability Assessment (III); Council for Sustainable Development (IV); Sustainable Development Policy Measures (V); Supplementary provisions (VI).
The Act sets out the basic principles for sustainable development (Art. 3). The basic principles include: 1. International rules or agreements regarding sustainable development, such as the Sustainable Development Goals, shall be complied with and implemented, and efforts shall be made to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals; 2. Various policies and plans shall be formulated taking overall consideration of their potential impact on harmonious development of the economy, society, and the environment; 3. An economic system shall be established and sustainable economic growth promoted so as to create new technical knowledge and decent jobs through innovative growth; 4. An inclusive social system that addresses social inequality that may arise in the course of economic development and environmental conservation and that pursues equality across generations shall be put in place so that no one may get left behind or neglected in the course of sustainable development; 5. A system of land use and production shall be developed and reorganized so as to protect the ecological infrastructure, and resources circulation and environmental conservation shall be facilitated by enhancing the efficiency of energy and resources use; etc.
The Government shall formulate and implement a 20-year national basic strategy for sustainable development, taking into account matters relating to: 1. decent jobs and economic development; 2.the development of sustainable infrastructure and the enhancement of industrial competitiveness; 3. sustainable production and consumption and the cities and living; 4. the eradication of poverty, health, well-being, and inclusive education; 5. reducing inequality, gender equality, and equality across generations; 6. response to climate crisis and clean energy; 7. the conservation of ecosystems and the management of land and water; 8. sustainable agriculture, fisheries, ocean, and forest; 9. international cooperation, human rights, justice, and peace.
In terms of materialization of inclusive society, the State and local governments shall: predict various social issues and worsening conflicts and inequalities that may arise in the course of sustainable development, and devise measures to cope with these problems; formulate and implement policy measures designed to strengthen social services and to build a social safety net so as to ensure that everyone benefit from the social security system and to essentially protect the poor and disadvantaged groups.