Table 1 lists the number of firms with ISO 14000 certification in the 10 leading countries. Japan leads all with 5338 certified firms and Taiwan is ranked 7th in the world in 1999. ‘‘Up to the end of 2002, at least 49,462 ISO 14001 certificates had been issued in 118 countries, an increase of 12,697 certificates (+34.54%) over the end of 2001 when the total stood at 36,765 in 112 countries’’