Water management

Water Environment Management in Japan
August 2012 WEPA Dialogue in Sri Lanka

Tadashi Kitamura
Director, Water Environment Division Environment Management Bureau, Ministry of the Environment, Japan

Japanese rapid economic growth
• The average real economic growth rate marked 9.1% through 1950’s, 60’s and early 70’s in Japan
The average real economic growth rate (%)

9.1% between 1953-1973

4.2% between 1974-1990

0.9% between 1991-2009

Ministry of the Environment

Transit of the economic growth rate in Japan

Year
2

Four Major Pollution Issues

Niigata Minamata Disease

Itai-Itai Disease Minamata Disease

Yokkaichi Asthma
Ministry of the Environment

3

Serious Damage by toxic substance

• Minamata Disease
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Found in Minamata city, Kumamoto in 1956 Causality:
“Methyl Mercury” contained in effluent from chemical factories

◆

Main symptoms:
Paresthesia of limbs, ataxio, narrowed visual field, auditory disorder, disorder of equilibrium, language disorder

◆ ◆

Victims certified in law: about 3,000 person Estimated Damege
（Health, Fishery etc） $4,510 million (estimated)

• Same damage founded in Niigata
Ministry Japanese yen ※ $1 = 84 of the Environment

Source: Website of Minamata City

4

Serious Damage by toxic substance

• Itai-Itai Disease
◆ ◆

◆

Found in Jintsugawa river basin in Toyama Prefecture in 1955 Causality: “Cadmium” contained in untreated effluent from Mines Main symptoms:
Kidney damages and softening of bone caused by consumption of food contaminated by Cadmium

◆ ◆

Victims certified in law: about 200 person Estimated Damage （Health, Agriculture etc） : $ 603 million (estimated)

Source: Yomiuri Newspaper

Ministry Japanese yen ※ $1 = 84 of the Environment

5

Deterioration of water in public water body

Dokai bay in ‘60s (Kitakyushu city)

Ministry of the Environment

Sumida river in early 70’s (Tokyo)

Tama River in ‘70’s (Tokyo)
6

Enactment of