Japan's Development Pace Threatens Environment

Rapid building and public works projects are destroying much of the natural environment in Japan, a country that lays 25 to 30 times more concrete than the U.S.

1 minute read

October 11, 2007, 10:00 AM PDT

By Nate Berg

"Japan struggles with environmental issues like climate change brought about in part by decades of rampant construction driven by massive public works projects. The projects have turned Japan into the world's ugliest country, according to Alex Kerr, author of Dogs and Demons, which chronicles the destruction of Japan's natural beauty."

"Chichibu's sacred mountain, Mount Bukozan, has been the location for the Shinto Shrine for more than 2,000 years. It is also a mountain rich in limestone and has for decades been gouged out by cement companies."

"All this concrete ends up lining streams and waterfalls, but it also has contributed to the "heat island" effect in Tokyo. The temperature has risen four times more than the global average in the past century. The Tokyo government's answer is to stipulate that all new skyscrapers build rooftop gardens to mitigate the effects of warming in the largely concrete city."

FULL STORY: Public Works Endanger Japan's Environment

Wednesday, October 10, 2007 in NPR

Environment Urban Development Asia-Pacific

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