How does Japanese compliance with the Kyoto Protocol affect environmental productivity in China and Japan?

The present paper empirically investigates whether competitive pressures and Japanese compliance with the Kyoto Protocol will turn China into a pollution haven. We also analyze how the bilateral division of commodity production stimulates eco-efficiencies (i.e. environmental productivities) in Japan and China and how eco-efficiencies in the respective countries affect each other. Empirical results revealed that competitive pressure and Japanese compliance with the Kyoto Protocol did not contribute to turning China into a pollution haven. We also find that if we focus on national eco-efficiencies, China and Japan are unable to develop a mutually beneficial relationship between the eco-efficiencies in both countries.