Analyses and counter measures on the severe damages tothe ecosystem of the Awase Tideland area on Okinawa Island,
southwest Japan by a dredging and reclamation project
Mainland Japan KITA Jinen (Okinawa Godo Law Office), MAEKAWA Seiji (Save-Awase-TidelandNetwork) and KAMEYAMA Norikazu (University of the Ryukyus)
presentation supported by Dr. ABE Mariko (NACS-J)

HenokoOkinawa City

Awase 26.3゜N, 127.8゜E Kagoshima
Pref.

Okinawa Island

Naha Land area: 1207km2

Population:1.3 million

TaiwanTheRyukyuIslands

Okinawa Prefecture
reclamation site

Okinawa City← dredging site

On project, June 2017Awase Tideland ★ Total 650ha area ★ 112ha sea grass/ seaweed bed ★ 265ha tidal flat and adjacent shallow sea
area ★ Floors made of various sediments such as mud,Awase Tideland
reclamation site
sand and coral gravel ★ Coral reefs among the tideland
Bofore the project ★ The numbers of shellfish species, sea grass species, RDB
March 2003 species, new species and the population of a migratory bird Pluvialis
fulva in winter are the highest among the tidelands in Japan.

1Government of Japan recognizes Awase Tideland as a hotspot of
biodiversity in Japan: Awase is a Potential Ramsar Site, and one of 500
Important Wetlands in Japan according to Ministry of the Environment.
KUBIOREMIDORO,
Va u c h e r i a c o n s t r i c t a（ CR+EN), is an endemic
seaweed species, only
found at 3 area in Okinawa
Island among the world.
ISOSUGINA, Halycoryne
wrightii, is the dominant
seaweed species in Awase
Tideland.
Population of a bird
MUNAGURO, Pluvialis
fulva, in Awase reaches
max. 53 % of that ofJapan.

TOKAGEHAZE, Scartelaos
histophorus RDB IA (CR),is an endemic fish species,
only found in Okinawa
Island among Japan.

Coral colonies are foundwithin sea-grass / seaweed
area. Oviposition of Acropora
aspera has been observed.
A small population ofKUROTSURA-HERASAGI,
Platalea minor RDB IB (EN),is observed every year.

Nevertheless, the government of Japan and local governmentsof Okinawa Prefecture and Okinawa City began island
reclamation and harbor dredging works in 2002.

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The first plan of Awase reclamation project by the governments★ 187 ha reclamation for harber dredging and construction of aresort city
We local residents, NGO activistsand scientists organized SaveAwase-Tideland Network in 2001
We made original researches on the impacts
against the wetland ecosystem, local economy
and public finance by the project, and on theestimated natural disasters on the reclaimed
AREA 1 (YELLOW): on projectisland.
AREA 2 (ORANGE): work not yet started
Results of our researches showed the dredging and
事業者 ( 国 ) の目的：新港地区東埠頭の泊地・航路の浚渫土砂処分場
reclamation project would have negative effects on
事業者（県）、利用者 ( 沖縄市 ) の目的：埋立地をリゾート地として活用
宿泊施設、多目的広場等を造成する both human society and natural ecosystem.
多目的広場は、米軍泡瀬通信施設の専用海域に位置しているため、専用海域を一旦解除し、完成後米軍用地になり、沖縄市が共同使用するというもの。新たな米軍基地のWe made a lawsuit claiming
その他の施設も設置主体がいない、過大な需要予測などの問題があった。
local governments not to use
tax money to the project in
泡瀬干潟を守る連絡会が 2001 年に結成され、埋め立て反対、住民民投票条例などの運動を展開し、2005 年第一次泡瀬干潟公金支出差止め訴訟（一次訴訟）を提訴した。 2005.
Mayor of Okinawa City
私たちの運動の結果、2006 年沖縄市長は埋立計画の 2 工区のうち「1 区推進、2 区困難」
decided to decreaseと判断した。
reclamation area in 2006.
造成、使用の制限という問題があり、またその区域はクビレミドロの生育地でもあった。

3The court affirmed injunction of budgeting in 2009.

Mr. Maehara, Minister of State,stated to abandon the projectof landside half of project area,
and to stop the ongoing work ofoceanside half.

The district court affirmed injunction ofbudgeting in Nov. 2008. We won again at theupper court in Oct. 2009; it was the final judgment.
Local newspaper Okinawa Times
selected the Awase case as the
6th of 10 news of the year, since
it was the first dudgement tostop budgeting for ongoing
public enterprise by thegovernment in Japan.

The new government
by Democratic Party ofJapan was negative to thewhole Awase reclamation
project at first.
But the reclamationproject didn't stop.
This is 'the mystery' ofJapanese administration
we often confront.

We believed that the protection of Awase Tideland area was realized.
However, the state and prefectural governments made a minor change
in the reclamation plan in Oct. 2010 and restarted the project.
Then, we made the 2nd lawsuit on trial.

4The second (present) plan of Awase reclamation project★ 187 → 95 ha reclamation for dredging and a resort city
Reduced Reclamation area, but theconclusion of our research is:
AREA 2
NOT reduced impact to the wetland
project stopped bofore touchedecosystem and the estimated natural
disasters.
WORSENED effects to the local
AREA 1:
economy and public finance.
project restarted
Many people understood our opinions through our activity suchas lawsuits, field works and town meetings.
Local newspapers also
critisized the policy of
the governments.

The court this time
supported themodified project by
the governments.

In Japan, there is no legislation to make local residents or scientists directly checkpubilic enterprises. People cannot make a lawsuit to stop the budgeting of the state
government. The court only judges whether budgeting of the local governments
was decided under regal process. Japanese legislation for the local authority isinadequate from residents' and scientists' point of view.

5Eleven new species ofsea animals and plants
have been also discoveredand described since theFieldwork with a specialist
reclamation began.
of sea-habiting spiders

July, 2016

Our activities
Reclamation is ongoing, which gave
visible effects to the local ecosystem. for scientific study and social education
But Awase area is still one of the mostimpartant tideland in Okinawa.
A leaflet published in 2009
UMIERA, Sea pen or a speciesof Pennatulacea, is found on thefloor of very shallow sea in Awase.
A large population has beenburied by the reclamation.
A crab-parasiting shellfish
MENAGAOSAGANI-HASAMIEBOSHI, Octolasmis unguisiformis RDB IA (CR) was newly
recorded in April 2017.

Large groups of MINAMIKOMETSUKI-GANI, Mictyris
brevidactylus, can be seen justoff the resident area.

6The conservation of the ecosystem of Awase Tideland area :We need immediate action to prevent or restore from accelerating degradationof environmental conditions, suggested by unexpected phenomena.
Seawater repeatedly becomes muddy.
Shallow sea floor became greenish in spring :Algae increase explosively,Ulva clathrata and another green alga species in 2017 anda brown alga Hydroclathrus clathratus in 2016,

which respectively resulted in the huge death of shellfish

including RDB species.

Collected shells of NIKKOGAI Tellina virgata, KAWARAGAI Tapes literatus, RYUKYUASARI Fragum unedo, DAIMYOGAI Pharaonella perna after mass mortality.

Explosive increase in algae and subsequent shellfish deathhas also occurred in the Wajiro Tideland, Fukuoka, which
also has a reclaimed island.
Before thereclamation

May 2017
0% coverage

BLUE: governmental research
RED: our research

Coral species Acropora
aspera in the tidelandarea are in the crisis ofdistinction.

Undoubtedly,
plant and animal
Changes in the seafloor coverage by colonies of a branchcoral species Acropora aspera between 2005 and 2017 →population in Awase
Tideland Area is now becoming in UNSUSTAINABLE or even FATAL conditions
fatal decline!

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The action plan for Awase area : registration as a Ramsar siteWe've long time demandedthat the state and local
governments should makeAwase Tideland area as
Wildlife Refuge, and theRamsar Site.

RED CIRCLE: PrefecturalWildlife Refuge,BLUE CIRCLE: Prefectural
Special Protection Area.

Okinawan people chose
Mr. Onaga Governor of Okinawa Prefecutural Government makes
Prefecture in 2014, who
new Wildlife Protection Plan and prepares
opposed the US military
to make 650 ha of Awase Tideland areabase construction on the
Prefectural Wildlife Refuge, including 280
shore of Henoko andha of Prefectural Special Protection Area.
Oura Bay.
Okinawa City Government still doesn't agree
T h e n , P r e f e c t u r a l p o l i c i e s with Prefectural Wildlife Refuge plan. Tharefore,began to change. Ministry of promotion activity is very important to realize theE n v i r o n m e n t a l s o b e g a n t o policy for the conservation of Awase Tideland.
support the conservation of Following the prefectural decision, Ministry ofAwase Tideland.
the Environment will designate there as National
Wildlife Refuge and Special Protection Area.

Our GOAL is to promote and accomplish sustainablemanagement of Awase and other Okinawan tidal area.

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