Water ecosystem management in Japan: successes and failures

Japan is considered a water-rich country. Yet, recent socioecological history suggests that the country has undergone some drastic changes in its water environment as an extended effect of its post-war industrialization and urbanization. On the other hand, Japan also houses ingenious and time-tested methods of water management in its traditional agro-ecological systems in an industrialized setting. This chapter explores this dichotomous relation between contrasting land management in Japan: one toward industrialization and urbanization that degrades water ecosystems and the other toward non-industrial, traditional, and rural, that conserves water ecosystems. The chapter visits two short case studies in Japan that show the (1) degradation of freshwater environments due to extensive river engineering that plagues rivers across the country, through a case study of the Kuma River basin in Kumamoto Prefecture, and (2) environmental movements that have revived damaged rivers to bring back lost sustainability in freshwater environments through a case study of Yahagi River basin in Nagano Prefecture. The aim of the chapter is to lay an argument for a future of urbanization that is more sustainable and water ecosystem friendly; a wave of thinking that has been increasing attention for sustainable urban development in the country.