noun
Director General of the Environment Agency
Official title for the head of Japan's former Environment Agency (環境庁), which was reorganized into the Ministry of the Environment (環境省) in 2001. Now primarily used in historical or pre-2001 contexts.
1990年代、環境庁長官は地球温暖化対策に力を入れた。
In the 1990s, the Director General of the Environment Agency focused on global warming countermeasures.
環境大臣 is the current title for the Minister of the Environment, replacing 環境庁長官 after the agency was upgraded to a ministry in 2001.
Compound of 環境庁 (Environment Agency) and 長官 (director general). The term reflects the pre-2001 government structure.