本文係在掌握現代環境行政中法律關係的多樣變化下，論述今日日本環境行政中之程序法的意義。文中，作者指出今日環境行政法律關係中，除有傳統警察管制下的兩面法律關係之外，更呈現出不少多方當事人並存之現象。然而，在此，非屬行政相對人之第三人，或因其權利或利益並未直接受到國家侵害或受其限制之故，或說所涉及權益屬性係超越加害者、被害者等個別權利或法益之集團性利益者，因此不僅多難循現行爭訟制度尋求救濟，且在行政程序上對於第三人之保障，亦難謂已為充足。針對上開問題狀況，作者首先援引日本最高法院歷來判決來論證正當程序保障在日本法制中之規範性意義，並說明其具體內涵；次而，指出日本現行相關法制上之行政程序，除具有保障權利目的之外，亦蘊含有促成民主意思決定之參加意涵；據之，更進一步論及在環境行政程序中深化民主性參加程序之必要性以及創設問題解決取向之公聽會等等可行方向。

This paper discusses the meaning of the procedural law under the various changes in modern environmental administration in Japan. The author pointed out that in today's environmental administrative legal relationship, besides the two-side legal relationship of the traditional police control, there are phenomenon of coexistence of many parties. However, when the third person is not an administrative counterpart whose right or interest is not directly infringed or restricted by the country or that the property involved is beyond the individual right of perpetrator or the victim or the group interest. It is difficult to seek relief through current system of litigation. The protection for the third person in the administrative procedure is also insufficient. In light of this problem, the author first quoted the historical decisions had made by the Supreme Court of Japan to explain the significance of the due process protection in Japan’s legal system. The author then indicates that the current administrative procedures in Japan’s legal system not only contains the protection of right but also promotes the decision to participate in democratic procedures. The author further discussed the necessity of reinforcing the participation in democratic procedure in the environmental administration and the approaches to develop problemsolving oriented public hearings.