| Japan has densely populated floodplains, steep rivers with flashy flow regimes, and geologically young mountains. Therefore, flood control and river regulation have been critical for securing life and economic growth. More recently, however, people have started to see an increasing need for conservation and restoration. In 1990, therefore, the Ministry of Construction (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport since 2001) started the nation-wide program “Nature-Oriented River Work” in order to conserve the country’s beautiful landscapes and its rich biodiversity. In the early stage of this program, the influence of restoration schemes in Switzerland and Germany was important. Later, these methods were adapted to the specific situation of Japan. Nowadays, restoration of rivers and wetlands is an important issue throughout Japan and the number of ecologically sound projects has rapidly increased since 1990. In the present paper, we explain the background of nature, history, and institutions in Japan, which is followed by an introduction of state-of-the-art case studies of river restoration. |
