This paper reports on an exploratory case study to help facilitate a culture of dialogue in Japan. There is an emphasis on proposing methods for polyphonic dialogue among citizens, and between citizens and experts, to effectively manage the environment. This paper argues that a culture of dialogue is essential to pluralistic participatory environmental governance. A random sampling-based citizen dialogue—involving experts and citizens—regarding radioactive waste disposal was held in Japanese cities. Three proposed methods—politeness-based facilitation dialogue, evidence-based and position-explicit presentations by experts with differing views and experts reflecting in tandem with citizens engaged in dialogue—might lead to enhanced positive attitudes toward dialogue with others holding different views, as well as better internal self-deliberation. Attitudes for dialogue were measured empirically. The current research suggests that explicit treatment of pluralistic positions and views among citizens and experts would be a key factor for quality social learning and resilience for uncertainty.

本文报告了一项探索性案例研究，以帮助促进日本的对话文化。重点在于提出公民之间以及公民与专家之间进行复音对话的方法，以有效地管理环境。本文认为，对话文化对于多元化的参与性环境治理至关重要。在日本城市举行了有关放射性废物处置的基于随机抽样的公民对话（涉及专家和公民）。三种建议的方法-基于礼貌的促进对话，具有不同观点的专家以及与参与对话的公民共同反映的专家的基于证据和立场明确的演讲-可能会增强人们对与持不同观点的其他人对话的积极态度作为更好的内部自我审议。对话态度是根据经验衡量的。当前的研究表明，明确对待公民和专家之间的多元化立场和观点将是提高社会学习质量和抵御不确定性的关键因素。