As the environment that affects our water continues to worsen, RENGO invited representatives from relevant ministries and organizations as well as Diet members to its "Symposium to Consider Basic Water Law (tent.)" on March 22 at the Parliamentary Museum in Tokyo and attracted 400 participants. The symposium was implemented in order to start activities to legislate a Basic Water Law (tent.). The law would place greater value on the function of the public benefit that nature possesses while seeking to preserve our forests and secure high quality, safe water resources. The keynote address was given by Tokyo University Professor Emeritus Yutaka Takahashi, which was followed by a panel discussion and open discussions with attendees over the Basic Water Law.

 

Photo: This symposium is a first step towards the Basic Water Law. (March 22, Tokyo)

Representing the organizers, RENGO General Secretary Kusano gave the opening address saying, "Presently the jurisdiction of water management is scattered across five ministries. This must be wholly reviewed and we need to legislate a Basic Water Law that includes a comprehensive water management system and fairness and transparency in water administration." He further added, "From now on, we will set up a place where we can have several debates and consider together what sort of basic law that we should have."
Continuing, Tokyo University Professor Emeritus of River Engineering Yutaka Takahashi delivered the keynote address saying, "The term water flow has become a keyword. In the basic law we should include a regulation that requires an assessment be made of how water flow is affected by development."

In the panel discussion, panelists from a variety of positions including representatives and intellectuals from the forestry, agriculture, and fisheries industries, offered their ideas emphasizing the importance of considering collectively in line with ‚”he totality and circularity of water. Opinions from the floor included the following: "We ought to consider the flow of sediment and nutrients including the food cycle." "We must realize our personal responsibility to protect water and the environment." Then, Professor Mitsuru Tanaka, Faculty of Social Science, Hosei University, coordinator of this panel said in closing, "We want to establish a law that that will enable residents to manage the water-to be able to self-govern the water."