It’s like when a person falls and gets a scrape or a bruise – while it may look serious on the surface, their overall vitality isn’t compromised,” she says. “Similarly, such a coastline remains resilient. Even if the surface layer of sand is completely stripped away, it will eventually come back. As long as the … Read more
Since around the 2000s, and especially in Europe and North America, there has been a shift in coastal management towards the use of eco-engineering and nature-based solutions – ways of working with natural ecosystems to address environmental challenges, says Seino. “These approaches integrate natural systems which not only protect against storm surges but also preserve … Read more
Locals also express concern about their lack of involvement in the decision-making process of the seawall. The Kagoshima Prefecture conducted surveys, including environmental studies, and three rounds of expert meetings from 2016-18, but Takaaki Kagohashi, a lawyer and longtime member of Jelf involved in the court case, says local residents were not consulted, except for the then-village-chief. The … Read more
The project saw final approval by the Kagoshima Prefecture in January 2018, but in the meantime other local residents have come together to oppose the seawall, arguing it is in danger of disrupting the Katoku River, affecting the entire rare beach ecosystem. In September 2020, a petition with more than 30,000 signatures was submitted to the governor of Kagoshima, mayor of … Read more
Rising before dawn on an early summer day in July 2022, Hisami Take took a walk along Katoku beach in Amami Ōshima, an island nestled in the far south of Japan. Looking along the beach, she saw an animal track on the sand stretching from the ocean, then U-turning back into the water. The track, … Read more
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