Japan's New Natural Restoration Law--Implementation Begins

Japan's national cabinet hammered out the Basic Policy for Natural Restoration on 1 April 2003. Prior to this the Japanese government had passed the Natural Restoration Promotion Law, which aims to restore damaged natural environments in the country. With the establishment of this basic policy, the law (which was approved by the Diet in December 2002 and entered into force on 1 January 2003) could now go into the implementation phase.

The basic policy specifies concrete approaches and procedures for natural restoration projects such as re-meandering rivers and restoring swamplands. According to the basic policy, the following three points are particularly important in promoting natural restoration:
1.Endemic biodiversity should be preserved.
2.Various entities, including the relevant national and local governmental bodies, local residents, non-profit organizations and experts, should cooperate with each other and participate in the natural restoration projects.
3.From preparatory research to implementation, the projects should be carried out flexibly and be based on scientific knowledge.

The basic policy also states that for each restoration project, general and implementation plans must be prepared and made available to the public. In addition, it includes some important points relating to natural environmental education and learning in project areas. The policy is to be reviewed about every five years.



Posted: 2003/06/12 09:52:27 AM
Japanese version