| This beautiful river is in danger and needs your
help. |
| A large scale dam, roughly 700 meters across, is
scheduled for construction at a point 13 kilometers
upstream from the river's mouth. This dam will
threaten the river's rich ecosystem and rivermouth
wetlands that are home to numerous animals, some of
which are endangered. The river and its wetlands are
a crucial stopover for migratory birds that use them
on their journeys between Russia and Australia. If
built as planned, the dam will damage the river's
tidal flats, threaten the migratory birds and fly in
the face of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, to
which Japan is a contracting party. |
| The new dam will replace a nearly 250 year-old
stone weir that has stood the test of time. This weir
attests to the foresightedness and ingenuity of
riverside residents in past ages. It is a simple and
effective structure that has become a part of the
river's ecosystem, working with nature while
fulfilling its function for the benefit of people. It
epitomizes the concept of sustainable development. |
| On top of the environmental destruction is the
outrageous cost of the dam. Construction of the dam
will run over 100 billion yen - a textbook example of
wasted tax dollars. |
| And this would not be the first time. The dam is
virtually a replica of a highly controversial dam
built on the Nagara River's mouth near Nagoya City.
The Nagara River Estuary Dam was opposed by many and
sparked a process of rethinking of the nation's river
management. Obviously this process has not gone far
enough yet. |
| In June, a committee appointed by the government
gave the Yoshino River Dam the "go sign,"
despite opposition from local residents. |
| Now we would like to ask for your help. To show
the Japanese government and Ministry of Construction
just how concerned citizens are and that the world's
attention is focused on this potential debacle, we
would like you to send a message. |
| Your message can be your thoughts on rivers,
public works projects or anything else appropriate or
germane - we just want the government to hear your
voice. Hopefully you -- and a million others -- will
help us forestall this preventable environmental
disaster. |
