Lead-free soldering in the Japanese electronics industry

Japan has witnessed prosperous industrial growth since the 1960s, and this growth has given rise to increased awareness by the government and the people regarding environmental responsibility. This responsibility includes the use of "green" materials and the recycling of important resources. Legislation, including the appliances law, requires the Japanese electronics industry to comply with more stringent environmental stipulations. However, Japanese electronics companies have captured international attention by preempting legislation with the introduction of lead-free products in the market with an ambitious target of eliminating the use of lead in electronic products. In this paper, we investigate corporate strategies regarding lead-free product development in light of legislative and environmental issues in Japan.