Past and present approaches to river rehabilitation in Japan

Ulrika Åberg  (University of Leeds - geoeua@leeds.ac.uk)

Proceedings paper from the 10th Annual River Restoration Centre Network Conference, 1st - 2nd April 2009

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Abstract

In post-war Japan, steel and concrete equalled modernisation and development. Concrete was used to build dams, channelise rivers and even cover whole hillsides to protect people from the many threatening natural hazards. The boom in river construction works has had a very negative effect on the river environment, and much effort is needed to rehabilitate Japan’s channelised river network.

The first steps towards an inclusion of habitat enhancement in river works were taken in the early 1990s with the initiation of the nature-oriented river works policy. The second major step towards process-based ecological river restoration was taken in the early 21st Century with the enforcement of the Law for the Promotion of Nature Restoration.

All the nature restoration projects carried out under the Nature Restoration Promotion Law are still on-going, but they give hope for future enhancement of Japan’s rivers.

Keywords

Japan; nature-oriented river works; river restoration