The Ministry of the Environment (環境省, Kankyō-shō) is a Cabinet-level ministry of the government of Japan responsible for global environmental conservation, pollution control, and nature conservation. The ministry was formed in 2001 from the sub-cabinet level Environmental Agency established in 1971. The Minister of the Environment is a member of the Cabinet of Japan and is chosen by the Prime Minister, usually from among members of the Diet.In March 2006, the then-Minister of the Environment Yuriko Koike, created a furoshiki cloth to promote its use in the modern world.In August 2011, the Cabinet of Japan approved a plan to establish a new energy watchdog under the Environment Ministry, and the Nuclear Regulation Authority was founded on September 19, 2012. Source: Wikipedia (en)