Meanwhile,
countries such as Japan and Pakistan have voluntarily implemented SEA elements such as
public participation without legislative provisions while countries such as Thailand,
Philippines, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are resisting the adoption of SEA. The primary problem
of SEA implementation in Asia has been its limited integration in strategic decision making
due to the highly political nature of policy planning framed within the cultural context of Asian
countries. Notable progress of SEA implementation in Asia has been the emerging awareness
on the need for SEA.