2016 Ashio Field Trip Report

June 28, 2016
SUSTEP Program
JDS Program
University of Tsukuba

1Preface
This is the second study trip to the Ashio area funded and organized by the SUSTEP Program
and the JDS Program of the University of Tsukuba. As I wrote in the preface of the first report
last year, the field trip to Ashio under these programs are very special as we brought
environmental leaders from developing countries. In the past, many Japanese school programs,
including our Master’s Program in Environmental Sciences, have sent many Japanese students tothis area for better understanding their own history. Global perspectives, however, have not been
important part of these education programs.
On the contrary, most of the participants in the SUSTEP Program and JDS Program for thistrip are young government officials from various countries where mining issues, including
pollution and environmental destruction, are on-going and urgent problems. The participants’countries included China, Ghana, Kenya, the Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka,
and Vietnam. Our educational goals to bring these young promising individuals to Ashio is
mainly to think about what may happen after the environment gets destroyed by mining
activities. We wanted them to go beyond identifying problems; so, we showed the outcome ofenvironmental restoration works that people in Ashio and volunteers have continuously
undertaken in the last fifty years or so. In short, our message is this: with the strong will andefforts of people, it is possible to transform the desolate and barren valley into green forests.
Having read students’ reports carefully, I can proudly say that they not only got ourmessage right but also went beyond our expectation by providing insightful future visions. Someessays show how much they care about the future of their own countries. These essays also
convinced me that Ashio can be the living heritage for those people in developing countries tolearn about human ingenuity and perseverance.
In this trip, Mr Mikio Aoki and the Ashio History Museum helped us considerably. Mr
Aoki, former resident of Ashio, is very knowledgeable guide for us. His wide ranging knowledge
spanned from history to industrial development. He has also been actively involved in planting
trees in Ashio. The rich historical resources at the Ashio History Museum have also aided andenhanced the learning of our students and me. So, on behalf of our students and the programs, I
dedicate this report to them.
Kenichi Matsui (SUSTEP Program Committee chair, University of Tsukuba)

Schedule for Ashio Trip
June 28, 2016
8:00

Leave the University of Tsukuba

10:30

Arrive in the Ashio Environment Study Center

11:30

Japan’s first hydroelectric dam site and former village area

12:30

Ashio History Museum (lunch)

13:30

Kotaki area (former mine site)

14:30

Leave for Tsukuba

17:30

Arrive in the University

2

The brief description of places to visit on June 28
1. The Ashio Environment Study Center and Matsuki area

[Above left] Tailing dam and reservoir in the
Matsuki area. This photo was taken in 1971. It has
held sludge produced from copper refinery
downstream.
[Above right] This photo shows the same area andafter reforestation effort for about 30 years. The
photo was taken in 2011.
[Left] The on-going reforestation project by the
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport andTourism.

2. Ashio copper refinery building

The refinery was originally established in thislocation in 1884. In the process of producing refinedcopper, it produced a large amount of sulfur dioxide
gas into the air, partly contributing to thedeforestation of the valley. In 1956, the refinery
adopted new technology that dramatically reduced
the amount of sulfur dioxide. It stopped operation in
1989. This building was designated as national
historical heritage in 2014.

3

3. Furukawa Bridge

This bridge was built over the Watarase River in 1890.
This is the oldest building structure still remain in Ashio
and was designated as nation's important cultural heritage
in 2014. The photo on the right was taken in the 1890s.

4. The remain of hydroelectric dam in Mato
The Furukawa Company, which managed copper mining business, introduced hydroelectric dam
technology in the 1880s, after learning from German Siemens Company technician. This dam wascompleted in 1890 and was one of the first hydroelectric dams in Japan. The electricity was used forpumping water, discharging water from mine tunnels, and operating electric vehicles. A largerhydroelectric dam was built in 1906 and replaced this small-scale dam.

5. Public bath in the former Kotaki village site
After extracting copper ore in dusty tunnels deep
underground, miners came here to clean. There were
two layers of bathtubs. In the outer layer, miners
cleaned the dust. Then they entered into the inner
layer. When it was a rainy day, children were seen
waiting in front of this public bath. They waited togive umbrella to their fathers.

4

6. Kotaki Mine Tunnel Entrance

In this area, copper was mined as early as the eighteenth
century. In 1885, this area expanded and became thedriving force for the rapid expansion of copper mining in
Ashio. At one time, the population reached 10,000 withresidential areas, shops, hospital and schools. The minein this area closed in 1953 when the copper deposit
exhausted.

7. Cenotaph for Chinese laborers
During World War II, about 257 Chinese laborers were forced tocome from China to Ashio to work in the mine. Among them, 109
persons were said to have passed away. This cenotaph was placedin 1973 partly to keep this ugly part of Ashio's history remembered.
Mr Kenzo Inose, former Japanese soldier who was involved inabducting Chinese laborers, mainly conducted this research. This
research was published originally in the 1970s. Later Mr Inose
found four survivors and conducted interviews, which were
included in his later publication in 1994 (『痛恨の⼭河』).

5

Ashio’s Past, Present and the Future: In the View of Sustainable Development
B.G.S. Karunaratne (Sri Lanka)

INTRODUCTION
The Ashio environmental pollution case is one of the renowned spatio-temporal incidents inJapanese industrial history. Ashio is an area in Tochigi prefecture, Japan. This area is famous in
the world because of the first environmental pollution case in Japanese history. As the researches
have proved, copper mining along the banks of the Watarase River since the seventeenth century
was the cause of environmental pollution in the area. In the 1880s, the Ashio copper mining
invested in basic machinery under the modernization policies of the Meiji government as it
aimed to strengthen the Japanese economy through industrial development. As a result, the entire
ecosystem, including water, air and soil, were polluted (1). The focus of this paper is toinvestigate the possibilities of sustainable development in the Ashio copper mining area.
DISCUSSION
The Ashio pollution was not a single problem but a series of complicated issues. The copper
mining operation continued for more than 170 years in Ashio, and made its adverse effects on
both flora and fauna. This was true not only in Ashio but also in other parts of the Kanto area,
because water of the Watarase River was widely used in the Kanto area. Deforestation is anotherremarkable effect as there was a great need to supply timber to the mining industry. The
environmental conditions became unstable, frequently causing floods and landslides. Insects,
birds, and others species disappeared. Crops in many parts of the lower stream were sterile. Childmortality grew high and diseases spread. As a result, some residents left their homelands (3).
According to article 10, paragraph 3 of the Japanese Mining Law, when mining activities
become harmful to the public interest, the Minister of Agriculture and Commerce has legal
power to concession. Mr Shozo Tanaka, MP in the government, actively stressed the
responsibility of the government and dedicated to resolve the problem. Research findings of
Yokoi Tokiyoshi and Nagaoka Muneyoshi used the court to urge the government to take actions
on behalf of the public. The Kawamata trials are also vital in having the Japanese government to
pay attention to this copper pollution problem.
Restoration efforts of the Ashio valley began in the mid-twentieth century.(7) The local
community launched together with the government to facilitate these efforts for the future
generations. This type of reforestation activities is absolutely important and advisable for thefurther development of restoration projects. The writer’s opinion for this reforestation project is6

that it is better if the community (the public) plant different kinds of suitable plants, which arealso edible for both humans and animals. Further, it is better if the community can implement
SALT technique (Sloping Agricultural Land Technology) for soil conservation activities in thearea, because most of the land in the valley is over 60⁰ slope. To launch new development
programs such an attempt would further ensure the future sustainability in the Ashio area.
Environmental protection programs can be included in the school curriculum regarding this issue
for the betterment of both the environment and awareness of children. Schools may assign
specific land blocks to each student to promote environmental protection activities.
Under the present situation of instability of land structure, it is better if more new programs
will be launched to protect the land from gully erosion. It seems that no thorough attention has
been paid for the construction of check dams in the catchment area to sustain the hydrologicalsystem.
Another considerable issue in Ashio is the decreasing population. In the last few decades,
the population decreased from about 50,000 to less than 10,000. Now is the time to enhance thepublic facilities in the Ashio area. The central government and the prefectural government havelegal power to do so. The private companies can initiate tourism promotion campaigns byintroducing adventure parks. A heliport can be established and ecotourism can be developed forboth residents and businessmen. Hydroponics and greenhouses can be promoted to enhance theproduction and the sustainability of the livelihoods. By doing so negative impacts ofenvironmental hazards can be minimized. Apiculture can be developed because there aresufficient wilderness areas and flowers with rich in nectar. Power generation projects can be
introduced to attract entrepreneurs to invest money and by aid of that, employment rate can beincreased. Therefore, more people could be shifted back to Ashio.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, Ashio has a huge possibility to develop and to be more populated if moreawareness campaigns be held in the future. Development in physical infrastructure is one
solution, and also the one in communication technology is another to further revitalize
businesses. The final decision is up to policy makers.
References
Akiyama T. (1982) A forest again: lessons from the Ashio Copper Mine and reforestation
operations, Food and Agriculture Policy Research Centre, University of California.
Guo N. (2014) Refining nature in modern Japanese literature: The life and art of Shiga Naoya,
Rowman and Littlefield Publishing group.
Stone A. (1974) The vanishing village: The Ashio Copper Mine pollution case 1890-1907,
University of Washington Press.
Walker B.L. (2010) Toxic Archipelago A history of industrial disease in Japan, University ofWashington Press.
Natsuma S. (2015) The Miner, Harpercollins, UK.
Unknown (1926) The Ashio copper mine, Tokyo printing company limited, Tokyo Japan.
Kimihide O., et al. (2006) “Recent heavy metal concentrations in Watarase basin around Ashio
mine,” Journal of Health Science, 52(4) (2006): 465-468.
Notehelfer F.G. (2016) Japan’s first pollution incident, downloaded from
130.158.200.81,12.06.2016 UTC from http://about.jstor.org/terms. Date accessed 2016.06.29
7

The Role of Society in Case Study Ashio Copper Mine, Japan
Karpaeva Aisha (The Kyrgyz Republic)
True civilization is not to despoil mountains, not to ruin rivers, not to destroy villages, and not tokill people. -- Shozo Tanaka
During a trip to the Ashio copper mine we learned that the mine was one of the largest suppliersof copper in Japan. It was also one of the first known cases of environmental pollution in Japan.
The goals of our trip were to acquire knowledge about the history of Japanese industrial
development and pollution in Ashio, and examine the restoration efforts of the valley environment.
The first cases of environmental pollution in Japan occurred in the Meiji era or the latenineteenth century, shortly after the beginning of industrialization. Japan began to strengthen its
military power and increased the production and development of the industry.1 This was
accomplished by the use of natural resources. As a result, it polluted the environment. Copper
played an important role in the early development of capitalism in Japan, and the Ashio coppermine was the main producer of copper in Japan. Pollution from the Ashio copper mine became
one of the biggest cases in the environmental pollution history of Japan. The copper was discoveredin Ashio as early as 1600, but in 1800 the mine, which was operated under the government, closed.
In 1877 it became the property of Furukawa Ichibei, and in 1880 new copper deposits was found.
With the use of modern technologies, the production of copper increased dramatically.1
Since 1880, people living along the Watarase noticed the changes in water color. The fish
perished or became very weak, so the children could catch them by hand.2 Also, as the Ashio mineneeded more wood for expansion, extensive deforestation took place. Because the mountains lost
trees, which held water, the flood began to happen more frequently. The floods brought pollutants
to rice fields. Settlements suffered from major floods, depositing mine wastes in the rice fields.
Many local farmers were left without harvest.2
However, the environmental damage caused by the mine development was publicly
justified by the interests of national defense.3 The authorities were reluctant to inform the public
about the pollution issues.4 Local people began protests against the Ashio copper mine. In October
1890 Chugo Hayakawa headed a movement against the mine work. Then, in December the
residents of Azuma Village and Tochigi Prefecture, appealed to the governor of the prefecture tostop the mining operations.1 Farmers also began to organize volunteer groups against the extractionof copper. Shozo Tanaka became the public voice of the protest against Japan's industrial pollution.
Tanaka was a politician and social activist. Today he is considered to be Japan's “first
conservationist."2 After retiring from the National Parliament, Tanaka made an appeal to theemperor, but failed. The protests continued for several years. In 1911, the Diet passed the Factory
Law, Japan's first law to address industrial pollution.5 Later, Japan became one of the first countries
to protect the environment as a national security priority.
During a trip to the Ashio copper mine, we learned that today there is a public association,
which annually mobilizes volunteers to plant trees in the Ashio valley. As a result, green spaceareas have increased. From visiting Ashio, we can understand how important the role of people isto protect the environment.
After reviewing the history of the Ashio copper mine, we learned by the example of Shozo
Tanaka, one of the first public leaders which protested against industrial pollution, how importantis the role of society and leaders in protecting the environment. In Ashio the role of society is very
important. For example, today there is a public association which annually mobilizes volunteers
to plant trees in Ashio Valley. As a result, the number of volunteers in the Ashio copper mine from8has increased and the area with green spaces also has increased. From all this we can conclude thatsociety plays a huge role in protecting the environment.
References
1. Shoji, Kichiro/Sugai, Masuro. (1992) “The Ashio Copper Mine Pollution Case: The Origins ofEnvironmental Destruction,” United Nations University Press, 1992.
http://darch.ide.go.jp/je_archive/english/society/book_jes5_d02.html
2. Stolz, Robert. “Remake Politics, Not Nature: Tanaka Shozo's Philosophies of 'Poison'and 'Flow' and Japan's Environment.” http://apjjf.org/-Robert-Stolz/2331/article.pdf
3. Teranishi, Shun,ichi. “A critical review of pollution issues and environmental policy in Japan.”
http://d-arch.ide.go.jp/idedp/DES/DES000100_008.pdf
4. Ueta, Kazuhiro. “Environment and economy: Lesson of Japan’s environmental problems andpolicies.” http://d-arch.ide.go.jp/idedp/DES/DES000100_007.pdf
5. Imura, Hidefumi (2005). Environmental Policy in Japan.
https://books.google.co.jp/books?id=t3_pgPtfQoC&pg=PA18&lpg=PA18&dq=In+1911,+the+Diet+passed+the+Factory+Law,+Japan%27s+fir
st+law+to+address+industrial+pollution.&source=bl&ots=_IsQe_mnCQ&sig=xFW8VQExOhFy
DolId5m3WFKziHo&hl=ja&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi6_5KflLPAhVlwFQKHTDiDKkQ6AEILDAC#v=onepage&q=In%201911%2C%20the%20Diet%20pa
ssed%20the%20Factory%20Law%2C%20Japan's%20first%20law%20to%20address%20industr
ial%20pollution.&f=false

9Lessons Learned from the Ashio Copper Mine for the Letpadaung Copper
Project in Myanmar
Tin Min Htoo (Myanmar)
The Ashio Copper Mine in Ashio, Tochigi prefecture, gained much attention from the end of thenineteenth century to the mid-twentieth century because it caused major pollution problems. Thishistory reminds me of the Letpadaung Copper Project in Myanmar, which is now starting themining process. The Letpadaung Copper Project is to exploit the largest of four copper deposits in
Salingyi Township of the Sagaing Region. It is owned by Myanmar Wanbao Mining Copper
Limited, Myanma Economic Holdings Limited and Mining Enterprise 1. It is operated by
Myanmar Wanbao Mining Copper Limited. There are many important lessons to be learned from
Ashio copper mining experience for the Letpadaung Copper Project to strike a better balance
between development and the environment.
The first important thing I learned from Ashio copper mining trip is the environmental
impacts that resulted from the mining operation. Copper extraction produced two kinds ofpollutants such as sulphurous acid from the refining processes and dusts containing heavy metals
from the refinery smoke. Acidified water was used in the process of mining, ore-selection, andrefining, and once discharged into rivers, the water lead to the destruction of top soils downstream.
In the refining processes, a large amount of sulphurous acid was produced and discharged into theair. Copper ore also contains a certain amount of arsenic, cadmium, zinc, lead, and small amountsof gold and silver. If arsenic is also released into the air with sulphurous acid gases, it can damage
all forms of life. Highly concentrated sulphurous acid gases can kill the leaves and it is very
dangerous for tress. As a result, the recovery of forested areas becomes very difficult. When trees
are damaged and then destroyed, the area is not able to retain water. Apart from that, sulphurous
acid and arsenic affect other animals, and soon the health of human beings living in affected areas
is seriously compromised. With regard to the production of the Ashio copper mine, big
environmental destruction was seen as shown in figure (Ui, 1992).
Figure: The Process of Environmental Destruction around Ashio Copper Mine

10The Letpadaung Copper Project in Myanmar may cause severe damage to river systems. The
Chindwin River, which is located approximately 2.8 km northeast of the project area, flows
southward toward the Yama Stream. The mining site is located near the Chindwin River floodplain(over 12 km wide). The Chindwin catchment area was 106,000 square kilometers and the Yama
Stream catchment area was 2,046 square kilometers. From the mining operation, dust with metalarising from the operations may cause problems later. Rocks exposed by the mining operation
contain a high level of sulphur (mean concentration of 1.7 %) and have the propensity to generateacid rock drainage (ARD). This occurs when sulphur bearing minerals become oxidized when
exposured to the air and produce acidic by-products and liberate trace minerals. These materials
can be extremely damaging if discharged to the environment in the Chindwin River catchment. It
requires storage dam that prevents them from running into the river. Moreover, forests around thisarea must be maintained not to destroy by the requirements of mining activities.
The second important thing I learned from the Ashio trip was the role of environmentalists
and community participation. After experiencing the impact of mining, farmers' movements
against mining in Ashio occurred. One politician proposed to lay the groundwork for negotiations
between farmers and the Ashio company and the national government. The government responded
by ordering the company to install the effective treatment facilities in mining process. Later thegovernment laid down the factory law, which was Japan's first law to address industrial pollution.
In the case of the Letpadaung Copper Project, recently people's movement was initiated by
the media, politicians and non-governmental organizations. Later farmers around this area,
especially the township of Salingyi, participated in demonstrations. The population of Salingyi is
about 130,000. Most people in the project area engage in farming crops such as wheat, sorghum,
green gram, sesame and chickpeas. Villagers protesting against the Letpadaung copper mine haveexpressed dissatisfaction with the resettlement process, compensation schemes, environmental andhealth effects, and the destruction of an important religious site. After that, the Letpadaung Taung
investigation commission was organized by the government. This Commission issued its final
report that emphasized a balance between development and the environment. The commission did
not recommend to close the mine. Then, some negotiations for compensation ensued between local
people and the company. In 2015, the environmental impact assessment procedure andenvironmental quality guideline were developed and the company must follow the rules andregulations. The government still needs to address the effective monitoring system.
In conclusion, the pollution from the copper mine can be very dangerous as the lessons fromthe Ashio copper mine demonstrate. In order to monitor the environment around the Letpadaungcopper project, treatment facilities/technologies and research and development are important. At
the same time public awareness and environmental education are also necessary. In the governmentside, it needs to address the effective regulatory system and institutional arrangement formonitoring processes.
References
Kimihide Ohmichi, Kimihide, et al. (2006) "Recent Heavy Metal Concentrations in Watarase
Basin around Ashio Mine." Journal of Health Science, 52(4), 465-468.
Limited, K. P. (2015) Environmental and social impact assessment.
Ui, J. (1992). Industrial pollution in Japan. Tokyo: United Nations University Press.

11

A History of Environmental Pollution and Restoration Efforts at the Ashio
Copper Mine
Than Naing Win (Myanmar)
The richest copper vein of Japan was found in the Ashio area, present-day Nikko City of Tochigi
Prefecture as early as 1610. It later led to the largest historical copper mining and also the firstenvironmental pollution case in Japan. The waste from copper refinery was deposited along thebank of the Watarase River. In the late nineteenth century, copper was one of the important raw
materials and the major export commodity (Tsuru, 1999). As mining accelerated to fulfill theindustrial requirements, environmental pollution was inevitable. Specifically, copper extraction
destructed the forest and polluted the river resulting from the sulphurous acid, metal-containing
dusts and acid water discharging from the refining process.
Prior to the industrialization of Ashio mining activities in the late nineteenth century, theAshio valley had been fully forested. But after the industrialization, sulphurous acid from therefinery process was released into the air and destructed the growth and survival of trees. A great
number of trees was also cut down in the surrounding mountains to be used as fuel for the copper
refinery. Therefore, forest cover was gradually reduced (Kichiro and Sugai, 1992). Discharging
wastewater from the refinery into the river contaminated water and killed the fishes and devastatedlivelihoods. During heavy rain, floods frequently happened in the downstream causing the erosionof topsoil. The slag along the mountain slopes were accumulated at the river bed or washed down
to lower stream areas. Heavy metals in the slag polluted water and affected people not only in themining area but also the downstream area, forcing them to abandon fishing and farming. Their
health also was affected from the consumption of contaminated fishes. Although mining company
subsidized social welfare facilities such as schools and hospitals, Ashio must have faced manydifficulties and challenges to survive and work for the people (Ashio Historical Museum, 2009).
Pollution control started in 1890. In 1956, the advanced treatment facilities, including smog
filter technology, were installed at the copper refinery in order to reduce the level of smog. To
control the erosion and sediment accumulation, the square needle mat was established at the hillslope. Flood control measures such as dams and weirs were also established. The government
promulgated two laws to regulate water quality (the Water Quality Conservation Law and theFactory Effluents Control Law). It built the research building and conducted research activities.
Finally, mining activity in Ashio stopped in February 1973 (Sugai, 1983).
Afterwards, the local government and societies have taken action on the restoration of Ashio
mining area. They have rehabilitated the soil and replanted trees. The restored area brought backmonkeys, deer, and birds. Research activities continued on river water improvement. Someawareness activities for reforestation have brought many people.

Figure 1. Reforestation activity

Figure 2. Slag residue at hill slope

12

Today, the Ashio copper mining site is one of the historical heritage sites and famous tourism
places. It shows the best example to learn about the copper mining and its environmental impacts
for both Japanese people and foreign tourists, including students. Those from other countries havea good opportunity to apply the historical lesson to similar issues in their countries. In Ashio we
also observed the successful restoration of tree canopy, although a few areas showed traces of soil
degradation that resulted from sulphur dioxide pollution. Ashio people have preserved somehistorical buildings, bridges and other sites for the purpose of tourism and the awareness forconserving the environment by younger generations. This success is due partly to active
participation of local societies in restoration activities together with the Japanese government.
Myanmar has also one ongoing copper mining project, namely the Letpadaung copper
mining project, located in the Salingyi Township of the Sagaing Region. Starting from June 2010,it has been operated by the Wanbao Mining Cooperation subsidized by China’s state-owned
company and Myanmar Economic Holdings Limited. This project area is about 7,867.78 acres ofland in which 5,057 acres are cultivated land (Letpadaung Investigation Commission, 2013). It
affects 26 villages at the foot of Mount Letpadaung. As a result, 441 households from 4 villages
were displaced (Diane Tang-Lee, 2015).
According to the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) report issued in
January 2015, this mining project, including the construction of processing plants and otherinfrastructures, would make negative environmental and social impacts on water, soil, and culturalsites (e.g., pagoda). Protests against the project have spread widely, claiming the lack oftransparency, inequity in farmland acquisition, compensation and resettlement, and inadequate
social welfare facilities such as hospitals and schools. Nevertheless, the government decided tocontinue this project after assessing and evaluating it by a parliamentary investigation committee
in March 2013. So we will keep monitoring mining activities.
Reflecting on the knowledge and lesson I learned from Ashio field trip, I think that Myanmar
copper mining should focus on the adequate implementation of environmental and social
safeguards, such as the installation of most advanced treatment technologies in the copper refinery
process, the promotion of the public awareness and participation in environmental conservation
activities through public-private partnership approaches, and the restoration of the naturalenvironment. Further research and tourism should also be promoted.
In conclusion, this Ashio copper mining fieled study trip contributed us to better
understanding the environmental and social impacts caused by the industrial development. It givesme the valuable knowledge about the situation of copper mining and living conditions of people
who struggled in the past. This past experience can be used and shared when I participate inenvironmental conservation activities in Myanmar. Therefore, I would like to express my special
thanks to Professor Kenichi Matsui and Mr Mikio Aoki, the tourist guide from Ashio for his
explanation and sharing knowledge along the field trip.
References
Ashio copper mining pollution, (2014) http://asia.isp.msu.edu/wbwoa/east_asia/japan/environmental_science/modules/02. (Date of access: July 9, 2016)
Diane Tang-Lee (2015) Case Study: Myanmar Letpadaung Copper Mining Project. June.
Shoji, Kichiro and Masuro Sugai. (1982) “Ashio copper mining pollution case: the origins ofenvironmental destruction.”
Sugai, Masuro. (1983) The development process of mining pollution at Ashio Copper Mine.
https://ejatlas.org/conflict/ashio-copper-mine-japan. (Date of access: July 9, 2016)
Letpadaung Copper Mining Project. (2015) Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Report,
Myanmar Wanbao Mining Copper Limited (MWMCL), January.
13

Mining Conflicts
Ondiba Hesborn Andole (Kenya)
Although mining is important for economic development, it has a grave impact on the ecosystem.
In particular it leads to air pollution, water acidification, soil quality decline, loss of biodiversity,
deforestation and landscape destruction. Also, in both developed and developing countries, mining
often sparks conflicts between corporations, the government and communities that are affected bymining. This paper highlights conflict experiences in the Ashio copper mine and Kenya. It alsosuggests solutions that ensure mutual benefits for all stakeholders from mining operations.
Environmentalists in Japan remember Ashio as the site of Japan’s first major industrial
pollution disaster. This was a large copper mine not far from Tokyo owned by the Fukurawa
corporation. Peasants in the downstream areas complained of pollution caused by mineralwastewater containing the high level of copper, which damaged not only crops but also their health.
The smelting process destroyed the beauty of the landscape, gaseous smoke killed all plant-life formiles round the refinery buildings; the streams were putrid with effluent, and the town itself
seemed to be buried under monstrous heaps of slags (Kenneth, 1977). At that time, copper playeda major role in the Japanese economy, ranking second to silk among Japan’s exports (Kazuo, 1997).
What I learned from this field trip experience to Ashio was the step taken by the informed
community led by Tanaka Shozo who stood up to fight for a clean environment despite theeconomic gains the copper mine gave the country and the surrounding community. They looked
into the future and realized the copper mining activity had no benefits whatsoever but a great
liability.
Mining in Kenya is mainly open pit due to the nature and occurrence of minerals. Instancesof environmental degradation and conflicts due to mining are therefore more severe. The firstexample is the Kerio Valley area in western Kenya which is heavily polluted by the fluorite. The
second example is Kwale where in 2007, over 3,000 residents were displaced from their ancestral
lands to pave the way for titanium mining (Mines and Communities, 2007). Recognizing thatsocial displacement can have a negative impact on communities the Government of Kenya offered
a compensational package to the local Kwale community, but the community declined to accept.
Since 2001, when the first of these measures was implemented, the local community has been in
conflict with the government and the operating company, Tiomin (K), over the mining project.
Different from the Ashio copper mine case, in which the major conflict was over environmental
damage, the one in Kenya disputed over land ownership and compensation. They also feel that the
government undervalues their land when it comes to compensation.
In Kenya locals in mining areas always believe that they are victims and tend to expect
tangible compensatory projects and services from mine developers. This feeling is particularly
intense if local communities have ethno-ecological value attached to the displaced land. However,
the most important factor to consider is how environmental damage can be minimized and how
the healthy ecosystem can be saved within the mining site. I also argue that mining companies
should consider CSR in dealing with conflicts between them and local communities. But for thisCSR to work, mining companies should complete the envisaged projects within the specified
timeframes. The community, companies and government should work together to minimize theenvironmental damage caused by mining operations by rolling out conservation measures together.
References
Strong, Kenneth. (2002) Ox Against the Storm: A Biography of Tanaka Shozo — Japan’sConservationist Pioneer. University of Washington Press.

14

Nimura, Kazuo. (1997) The Ashio Riot of 1907: A Social History of Mining in Japan. Duke
University Press.
Mines and Communities. (2007) “Titanium: Farmers now evicted.” Available: http://
www.Minesandcommunities.Org/article. php? a = 3951 (accessed 22.10.08.)

15

Effect of Mining on the Environment: Case of Japan and Ghana
Adwoa Oforiwa Antwi (Ghana)
The discovery of mineral resources marks a point of transformation in the economic, social andliving standards of the people. This is often accompanied by investments from foreign countries.
Despite the immense contributions of mining to the economic development, its social andenvironmental effects cannot be over-emphasized.
Ashio copper mine started in the seventeenth century when copper was first mined along thebanks of the Watarase River. During this period, the mine supported Japan’s foreign trade with
Holland and China. Despite the mine’s economic contribution, it also became one of Japan’s
earliest industrial pollution cases.
The capitalistic production system that began in the late nineteenth century resulted into
immense environmental destruction. The discovery of large copper ore deposits made Ashio themost productive copper mine in the country. In 1885, the Watarase River experienced the loss ofmany fish because of water pollution. This pollution was partly due to heavy metal discharge fromrock-crushing machines and steam-operated pumps in the mine. The outcome of these resulted in
the destitution of 3,000 fishermen and loss of all marine life in the lower valley of the River (Obenget al, 2015).
In the late nineteenth century, Ashio-derived heavy metals began to destroy agriculturallands. In August 1890, for example, a flood with contaminated sludge ran into the Watarase River
Basin and affected 1,600 hectares of farmland and 28 towns and villages. This provoked farmers'
movements to stop the mine operations and seek compensation for damages caused. To preventthe pollution the mining company installed a settling basin for removing heavy metals fromwastewater along with erosion control dams as early as 1897.
In the last fifty years Ashio residents and volunteers from other parts of the country havedone tremendous reforestation efforts which I think is innovative. With relentless effort andcommitment from people, NGOs and volunteers, Ashio will see its formal glory. During our visit
to Ashio, we noticed how restoration works have improved the environment even though there
remain signs of damages caused by the mine. For me this shows how the people of Japan arecommitted to achieving environmental restoration and sustainability for now and the future.
Ghana is rich in mineral resources such as gold, diamonds and manganese. Its mining
activities dates back to the nineteenth century. Mining has contributed enormously to the economic
development of the country, but environmental damages thave caused more damages thaneconomic benefits to the country. For example, Obuasi, which has rich gold deposits, has sufferedfrom heavy mining impacts.
In Ghana, mining-derived environmental problems can be grouped into three categories. The
first is land degradation. Miners leave behind vast barren lands with pits. These pits, filled withwater, become breeding grounds for mosquitos, which are potential danger to humans and animals.
Agricultural lands have been lost as a result. Secondly, mining pollutes major water resources byheavy metals like mercury. This has resulted into the loss of species. The polluted water makes
drinking unsafe for local communities. Finally, mining contaminates air and causes respiratory
diseases among those who inhaled fine particles in the polluted air. Small-scale mining generates
some hazardous dust that miners and local residents inhale. Small-scale miners also openly burngold amalgam, which produces harmful mercury fumes.
To safeguard the environment from mining, the environmental protection agency wasestablished under the Ghana Environmental Action Plan of 1991. This action plan seeks to improve
the quality of life of both present and future generations. It also aims to create a synergy between
economic development and environmental development in ensuring sustainable development in16

mining communities. Despite these promising words, the Plan has hardly been implemented. Little
visible efforts have been made in restoring vegetation and forest lost. Many communities are still
prone to floods and earthquakes.
Obuasi can learn from Ashio experiences. Here I do not mean that Obuasi people wait forgovernment and mining companies to engage in restoration activities. Obuasi people can take their
future into their own hands by, for example, planting trees themselves.
References
Aryee, B. N.A, Ntibery, B. K. and Atorkui, E. (2002) Trends in the small-scale mining of precious
minerals in Ghana: a perspective on its environmental impact. Journal of Cleaner Production 11(2003): 131–140.
Ashio Mining http://www.einap.org/ashio.htm (Date of access: July 9, 2016).
Copper poisoning issues and their aftermath
http://archive.unu.edu/unupress/unupbooks/uu35ie/uu35ie07.htm (date access: July 10, 2016)
Kichiro, S. and Masuro, S. The Ashio Copper mine Pollution Case: The Origins of Environmental
Destruction. http://d-arch.ide.go.jp/je_archive/pdf/book/jes5_d02.pdf
Koide, G. (2010) 400 years of the Ashio Copper Mine-Recommendation for preservation ofindustrial heritage and tourism for visiting ruins https://csj.jp/kaimu/ronsetsu/ronsetsu1007-e.pdf(Date of access: July, 9, 2016).
Obeng, S., Amoako-Arthur, I., and Buabeng, Y.I., (2015) Effects of Illegal Small Scale Gold
Mining Activities on the Environment: Case Study of Selected Communities in the Amansie West
District. https://www.academia.edu/15098567

17Effects of Rapid and Uncontrolled Industrialization on the Environment: A
Comparative Study of Ashio Copper Mine, Japan and Escondida Copper
Mine, Chile
Abiemo Jerome Edem (Ghana)
The industrialization, which transforms a nation from a primarily agricultural society to a
manufacturer of goods and services, has brought economic development in some countries. Rapidand uncontrolled industrialization has negatively affected several developed nations all over theworld. Many countries such as Peru, Mexico and Indonesia that rapidly developed from mining
their naturally resources, especially copper, have faced devastating human health andenvironmental problems. Governments in developed nations need control rapid development thatnegatively impacts the environment.
The Ashio copper mine, the history of which dates back to the beginning of the seventeenth
century, was one of the leading modern industries that supported the Japanese government’s
foreign trade. The export of copper, from the one-time productive mine, under the control of theTokugawa government, accounted for 9.5 per cent of Japan’s export earnings at the time. The
earnings from the mines, like the norm in many rapidly growing industrialized countries, was usedin pursuit of technological advancement, such as the purchase of sophisticated mining equipment,
military weapons and other industrial machinery. In contrast, very little attention was paid to thenumerous mining-induced environmental and social problems.
The field trip to Ashio copper mine gave us a glimpse of how industrial development could
adversely affect the environment. The Ashio community and its environs, which were once vibrantwith inhabitants, are now desolate. The periodic flooding (contaminated with poisons) andemission of air pollutants like sulphuric acid, destroyed several farmlands and forced the majority
to relocate. The barren area on the mountain surrounding the mines, attest to the fact that at theend of the nineteenth century, Japan attempted to catch up with advanced industrialized nations
without considerations for environmental preservation (Shoji and Sugai, 1992).
Chile's economic development, which draws heavily on copper mining, reveals that it might
suffer from a similar fate of mining-induced environmental destruction to that of Ashio. Chile is
the world’s leading copper producer, with copper accounting for 56 per cent of its $59 billion in
total exports in 2006 (Oyarzún and Oyarzún, 2011). As a result, it suffers from the impact of
smelting emissions on air quality, agricultural productivity and loss of biodiversity. Similar to themass protest of peasant farmers against the Ashio mines, several social movements like the“Pascua Lama” have attempted to stop the mine operations, partly to safeguard the environment.
However, the Chilean government, poisoned by the materialism of the industrial revolution,
focuses on foreign earnings from the copper trade than protecting the environment.
In spite of the ill fate suffered by Japan at the Ashio copper mines, governments (past andpresent) and other self-help organizations have put some innovative measures to avoid similar
occurrences in the future. They also have engaged in restoring damaged ecosystems. A typicalexample is the reforestation of the surrounding mountains of Ashio by a non-profit organization
called Grow Green in Ashio. Through its tree planting activities, water quality in the Watarase
River and biodiversity on the previously bared mountain have improved. Environmental laws,
especially air pollutant emission policies have been made more stringent. In addition, the Japan
government has engaged in public awareness promotion about environmental issues, especiallyamong children who are the future leaders. In contrast, the enforcement of environmental laws inChile is very weak. Ranked in the 10th position (after Russian and China), amongst the highest
sulfur dioxide emitters in the world, there is an urgent need for Chile to improve its environmental
performance to withstand the current industrial pressure (Esty and Porter, 2005).
18

The Ashio and Escondida mines, for sure, have created new job opportunities for citizens,
improved the transportation system (railroads), introduced advanced technologies, and contributed
to national development, but their negative impacts on human health and the environment cannot
be discounted. In Chile, I recommend that it draw on Japan’s experience to avoid irreversible futuredamages to the environment. The government should ensure that its mines, by adhering to strict
emission standards, and proper sludge disposal measures, avoid soil and water contamination. Here,
there is the need for periodic public awareness campaigns on specific environmental issues likepollution, so that children can be trained to become global environmental leaders.
In conclusion, nation's rapid industrial development may have many positive effects on its
economy. However, when development is not controlled, the environment often pays the price. It
is therefore imperative that industrialized countries, whose economic development depend on
natural resources, like copper should endeavor to protect environment and human life.
References
1.
Esty, Daniel C. and Michael Porter. (2005) “National Environmental Performance: An
Empirical Analysis of Policy Results and Determinants.” Environment and Development
Economics 10 (4): 391-434. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1355770X05002275.
2.

Oyarzún, Jorge, and Ricardo Oyarzún. (2011) “Sustainable Development Threats, InterSector Conflicts and Environmental Policy Requirements in the Arid, Mining Rich, Northern
Chile Territory.” Sustainable Development. doi:10.1002/sd.441.

3.

Shoji, Kichiro and Masuro Sugai (1992) “The Ashio Copper Mine Pollution Case: The
Origins of Environmental Destruction.”

19

Impact of Mining on the Environment and Biodiversity: Japan and Ghana
Ernest Ohene Nkansah (Ghana)
Introduction
The thirst for increased productivity and economic growth necessitates vibrant industrialization.
This encourages the search and exploitation of mineral resources to feed the various industries forcontinual production at the expense of nature and biodiversity existence. This was the case in the
Ashio copper mining situation. The mine helped the Japanese economy to experience tremendous
growth through foreign trade, but it also caused severe environmental pollution and degradation.
From my perspective, little effort appeared to be made to improve the devastated environment andthe community. This paper seeks to discuss the menace of mining pollution in Japan and Ghana. I
will give my perspective and suggest corporate strategies efficient to diffuse situations.
The field trip was organized to Ashio in June 2016. It gave me an insight on the peril ofmineral exploitation on the environment. Even though the mining industry in Ashio contributed to
the growth of the Japanese economy, it raised grave concerns about the environment, its
biodiversity, and human health. Records show that prior to the industrialized Ashio mining
activities (before 1880), Ashio and its surrounding area were densely forested and rich inbiodiversity. However, with the commencement of Ashio copper mining activities under the
Furukawa Corporation, a number of environmental issues emerged in the area ranging from
pollution and environmental degradation to resources depletion. The destruction of forests used asfuel for powering the mining plant partly left the forest lands bare and prone to erosion. The
polluted river system swept down the valley in 1896 inundating 13,000 households (Pyle et al.,1975). Without trees to hold water under heavy rain, in August 1880, the lower Watarase river
Basin got flooded, damaging 1,600 hectares of farmland and 28 villages in Tochigi and Gunma
prefectures (Sasaki, 2014). Agriculture was no longer worthwhile on the polluted lands and rivers.
This caused a larger number of the inhabitant farmers to relocate from the mining area to otherneighboring towns (Shoji et al., 1992). Furthermore, the copper refinery released large amounts ofsulfur dioxide gas into the atmosphere, a precursor of fine particulate soot, posing a significant
health threat and major cause of acid rains.
The environmental harm caused by the Ashio copper mine is not much different from thatof the Obuasi gold mine in Ghana. The Obuasi gold mine is dominated by small-scale gold mining.
In Ghana this practice is termed as “galamsey”. These galamsey operations yield high levels of
mercury and cause water pollution and land degradation (Ahmed, 2013). Mercury is heavily used
for gold extraction from ore due to its affordability and reliability. Records show that mercury has
the tendency of weakening one’s immune system, reduces life expectancy and hence theproductivity of a country’s labour force (Ahmed, 2013).
Knowledge from the pollution history of the Ashio copper mine and the Obuasi gold minebehooves us to take vibrant measures that ensure sustainable development. For years, there has
been tremendous cleanup efforts in Ashio. The experience, knowledge and technology emanatingfrom this small town are worth pondering. The Obuasi mine may consider the construction of asettling basin for removing poisonous metals from wastewater, an afforestation program organizedby the prefectural and central governments. The mine also can learn from the local people in Ashio
who built the Ashio History Museum for tourism and education.
Conclusion
If one considers minerals as an asset of the environment, we may have different ideas about the
exploitation of our mineral resources. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a helpful conceptual
framework for exploring the corporate attitude of companies towards stakeholders (Wheeler et al.,20

2002). The concept of CSR is a means by which companies frame their attitudes and strategies
towards, and relationships with, stakeholders, be they investors, employees or, as is salient here,
communities, within a popular and acceptable concept. Governments must ensure that mining
companies perform their CSR. This could be done by way of giving incentives or tax reliefs tocompanies that perform their CSR.
Additionally, social and environmental reporting, encompassing the social andenvironmental aspects of company activities, is a necessary tool in the current social and businessclimate as increased pressure on business performance also places a need for mining companies todistinguish themselves in a competitive marketplace (KPMG, 2000). One of the central issues
facing companies is how they define their relationships with their communities (Waddok and
Bolyle, 1995), and respond to their rapidly changing demands and expectations. A further researchmust be done on the changing needs of communities in order to direct their activities to meet suchneeds.
Finally, should we exploit our mineral resources and pollute our natural environment to meet
our needs? There must be a balance in meeting our demand through using technology and ensuring
the reduced levels of pollutions. This will help the natural environment offer its ecosystem services
for the survival of people and biodiversity. Governments have a crucial role to play in ensuringthat citizens and cooperate bodies can have good environmental standards.
References
Ahmed, Salim Nuhu. An Assessment of an environmental Problem in Ghana.
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/features/An-Assessment-Of-An-EnvironmentalProblem-In-Ghana-294578. (Date of access: October 10, 2016).
Ashio Copper Mine – Japan. https://ejatlas.org/conflict/ashio-copper-mine-japan. (Date ofaccess: October 10, 2016).
The Impact of Mining in Ghana. http://www.graphic.com.gh/features/opinion/the-impact-ofmining-in-ghana.html. (Date of access: October 10, 2016)
KPMG, 2000. Mining: A Survey of Global Reporting Trends: KPMG International.
Pyle, K.B., Notehelfer, F.G. and Stone, A., 1975. Symposium: The Ashio Copper Mine Pollution
Case. Journal of Japanese Studies, 1(2), pp.347-350.
Shoji K., Sugai M., 1992. Industrial Pollution in Japan. Chapter 1: The Ashio Copper Mine
Pollution Case: The Origin of Environmental Destruction.
http://d-arch.ide.go.jp/je_archive/english/society/book_jes5_d02.html
Waddok SA, Boyle M. 1995. The dynamic of change in corporate community relations.
California Management Review 37(4): 125-140.
Wheeler D, Fabig H, Boele R. 2002. Paradoxes and dilemas for stakeholder responsive firms in
the extractive sector: lessons from the case of Shell and the Ogoni. Journal of Business Ethics 39(3): 297-318.

21

The History of the Ashio Copper Mine: A Lesson Learned for Vietnam
Vu Van Nam (Vietnam)
Ashio is located about 20 km southwest of central Nikko city and about 10 km south of Lake
Chuzenji. In the Tokugawa shogunate period, Ashio annually produced about 1,500 tons of copperin productive years, but the production decreased significantly in 1800, and the site wastemporarily closed. Ashio was privatized in 1871. Then, it belonged to Furukawa Ichibei in 1877.
The capacity of the copper mine reached over 4,090 tons of copper in 1885, producing 78 percent
of total output of Furukawa mines, and 39 percent of copper production of Japan. Finally, the Ashio
copper mine was closed in 1973.(1) It can be seen that Ashio had played a significant role in theJapanese copper mining industry for a hundred years.
However, Ashio copper minning activities also caused a serious environmental issues. Dueto the energy need for mining activities in the Ashio area, many trees were cut down. It led to the
reduction of forest areas in this area. Because of the decreased forest cover, flood water frequently
affected the lower Watarase River area after heavy rains. The floods poisoned the agricultural land
and the environment with copper and other poisonous elements. In addition, because of the lackof disposal sites, solid wastes were piled in the hillsides. The slag and leachate contaminated thelower river.(2)When we visited the Ashio copper mine area, we found that some solid waste disposal sites
in the hillsides of the former Matsuki village site. The tailing dam in a high mountain area
prevented the run-off of slags. So in my opinion, the Furukawa Company needs to treat all solid
waste and slags. To reduce the solid waste, authorities have sold them to marine companies toclean their boats. We also observed that many areas of the Ashio valley were restored with trees.
Thanks to the support from the government, local people, NGOs, and volunteers for only fifty
years, we cannot imagine that these areas were totally treeless. They terraced and planted
thousands of trees in high mountainous areas. It must have been huge and difficult works. There
were some flood control constructions along the Watarase river. The aim of these is to prevent or
reduce flood risks to the downstream. Gravels from the river also provide materials forconstruction industries. We believe that, with the effort of local people, government and volunteers,
this area will recover soon.
In my country, Vietnam, there was a huge coal mine site in a coastal province named Quang
Ninh near Ha Long Bay, a world heritage site. The coal mine started in 1836 by Frenchcolonialists.(3) After the August Revolution in 1945, Vietnam's independence, it belonged to thegovernment of Vietnam. By 2010, it had produced 47 million tons of coal, providing jobs to
132,000 workers.(4) However, Quang Ninh province has faced the uncontrolled exploitation of coal.
Some heavy rains caused flooding, landslides and toxic sludge spills from open mine sites. It also
caused health problems for workers and residential areas around. Coal contains a lot of sulphur
and acid elements, which quickly pollute the water environment. The heavy metals such as lead,zinc and mercury affected the sea, agricultural activities and human health. There were also somethermal power plants using coal as the fuel energy in Quang Ninh which heavily polluted the Gao
River and residents in surrounding areas.
In responding to the negative impacts of coal mines in Quang Ninh, the Ministry of Natural
Resources and Environment and experts have suggested that residue be kept in a separated areafrom residential areas. Trees should be planted in the area between the mine and villages to limit
pollution levels instead of simply covering the residue with canvas. Investors and local authorities
generally neglected in dealing with these issues, and the province has to restructure deposits ofcoal residue in preventing the floods and sludge from mining industries.

22Reference(1) http://archive.unu.edu/unupress/unupbooks/uu35ie/uu35ie04.htm. (Date of access: August 29,2016).
(2) http://archive.unu.edu/unupress/unupbooks/uu35ie/uu35ie06.htm. (Date of access: August 29,2016).
(3)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qu%E1%BA%A3ng_Ninh_Province. (Date of access: August 29,2016).
(4) Vietnam National Coal – Mineral Industries Holding Corporation Limited, 2016. “About thiscorporation”. http://www.vinacomin.vn/gioi-thieu-chung/lich-su-hinh-thanh-va-phat-trien201506031201389356.htm. (Date of access: August 29, 2016).

23

History of the Ashio Copper Mining Restoration
Shagdarsuren Chantsalnurmaa (Mongolia)
This time, we went to Ashio Copper Mine site, which was one of the biggest copper mines in Japan.
When I first saw the environment and surrounding areas, it was very beautiful with river,mountains and trees. Even I did not notice that the mining activity happened here before.
Ashio Copper Mining operation started in about 1600, and the extensive environmental
destruction began to occur in the 1880s. At that time, the mine became the biggest copper
producers in Japan, and people living surrounding area of the Watarase and Tone rivers noticed
changes in water color and dying fish. Within a decade, the fish population was almost completely
destroyed and about 3,000 fishermen in the area were put out of work (Wikipedia 2016). In
addition, the Ashio mine destroyed forests to meet its fuel and other needs. From 1890 to 1896,
the several larger floods occurred and intensified environmental damage. In 1897, after theconsiderable disaster damage, the Japanese government decided to act and the Furukawa
Corporation, a company running the mine, began to build filtration systems to reduce these
problems. However, protest activities against this company continued for several years. Partly due
to the environmental problems caused by Ashio mining, the Japanese government passed theFactory Law in 1911, which was Japan's first law to address industrial pollution (Wikipedia, 2016).
The Ashio Copper Mine closed in 1973 (Wikipedia, 2016).
I visited the Ashio History Museum, which showed that the Ashio Copper Mine was the very
highly developed mine at that time. Miners used the electronic railway, constructed large ironbridges and complex engineering systems, and developed powerful working tools. Because ofmining development, many schools, hospitals, and other services were established in the town.
This social development became an important part of the history of the industrial development inJapan.
In this trip, I was glad to see the Japanese mine development history with my own eyes. I
understood that the government support and right policy could bring a lot of real effects in themining development. In my opinion, Ashio has some good tourism development potential. For
example, it may use the existing railroad, museums, models of miners, tools, and other related
items. Also, Ashio has become a good example in organizing a tour that aims to provide educationand knowledge among young generations. In addition, I would like to express my gratitude to
Ashio for sharing its rich knowledge and experiences and a successful implementation ofcommunity-based environmental remediation model with the international students of developing
countries. I believe that this experience would contribute to our countries’ further development.
In conclusion, during this trip I gained much knowledge about the mine operation and nature
restoration. As for Mongolia, where I am from, the mining sector is rapidly growing and it strongly
influences economic and social developments. In Mongolia, there are many similar cases ofmining-related environmental destruction and protest activities to those in Ashio. It is amazing to
see that Aisho spent a few decades for environmental restoration. It is possible to implement thefollowing activities in my country through the bigger mining companies: (1) it is possible andbetter to cooperate with local people in protecting and restoring nature during the mining
operation; (2) it is possible to create community-based tourism destination like Ashio in ourcountry; (3) we should motivate local people to join in environmental conservation and nature
restoration.
References
Kimihide Ohmichi, et al. (2006). "Recent Heavy Metal Concentrations in Watarase Basin around
Ashio Mine." Journal of Health Science, 52(4), 465-468.
Limited, K. P. (2015). environmental and social impact assessment.
24

Ui, J. (1992). Industrial pollution in Japan. Tokyo: United Nations University Press.
Wikipedia. (2016). Ashio Copper Mine. Retrieved July 5, 2016, fromhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashio_Copper_Mine.
Stolz, R. (2007). Remake Politics, Not Nature: Tanaka Shozo's Philosophies of 'Poison' and 'Flow'and Japan's Environment. The Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus.

25How to Establish a Harmonious Relationship between the Environment andEconomic Development?
He Xin (China)“How to establish a harmonious relationship between environment and economic development?”
With this question in mind, I participated in a field trip activity to Ashio on 28th June 2016. In arainy morning, we set foot on the Ashio trip. We visited the Ashio cooper refinery building,where we learned about the refinery technology at that time, and also the environmental
problems from this refinery process. In the following, we had the chance to visit the Ashio
History Museum, which was built to display historical photographs, books and valuable
materials of this town. The photo that impressed me most was about the green recovery in thisarea. It shows that the Ashio people had planted trees and it indicated that the people here made agood effort to the reforestation of the environment. On the way back, we visited the cenotaph for
Chinese laborers, which was built in honor of Chinese laborers, especially many of them died ofheavy labor here. From this activity, I acquired more knowledge about the history of Ashio,
which was a typical case of Japanese industrial development. Moreover, I gained deep
understanding of the relationship between the environment and economic development. In thisreport, I will introduce some basic information about Ashio, such as environmental pollutantsfrom the cooper mine and solutions. Furthermore, I will try to discuss and analyze the similarcity called Baiyin in Gansu Province, China as comparison.
In the mid-twentieth century Ashio looked like a desolate valley without plants andwildlife, but can you believe that this area was once a forested town. The Ashio mine existed as
early as 1600. At that time it produced about 1,500 tons annually (Wikipedia). After the Meiji
Restoration and Industrial Revolution, Ashio acquired many advanced technologies of that timeand played an important role in the process of Japan Industrialization. By the 1880s production
had increased dramatically, reaching 4,090 tons by 1885 or 39 percent of Japan's copper
production (Wikipedia).
However, the environment did not “prosper” as the economic did. The government put
more emphasize on economic development than the environmental consideration. From 1880,
people living along the Watarase River, downstream of the mines, noticed the water changing
color and the fish dying (Notehelfer, 1975). Within a decade, the fish population was almost
completely destroyed and about 3,000 fishermen in the area lost their livelihood (Notehelfer,1975). It also meant the heavy loss of biodiversity. Further, with the increasing expansion ofmines, more timber was demanded as fuel woods so that the situation of deforestation became
severe, which meant the town tended to lose its protection from floods. As a result, in 1896, alarge flood followed and caused damage on the environment and people (Notehelfer, 1975).
Moreover, serious human health problems emerged, such as food insecurity, unknown or
uncertain complex risks and death (Environmental Justice Atlas, 2016). The people living in thisarea protested strongly against the mining activity. In October 1890, Chugo Hayakawa led amovement against the mine and asked the prefectural hospital to do some tests for water-borne
poisons. In December, the residents of Azuma Village in Tochigi Prefecture, appealed to thegovernor of the prefecture to halt mining operations at Ashio. This was the first of such appeals
against Ashio (Shoji and Sugai, n.d.).
In 1897, the Japanese government decided to act and ordered the copper operator to build
filtration systems to reduce the problem of pollution (Notehelfer, 1975). In 1911, the government
passed the Factory Law which was Japan's first law to address industrial pollution (Notehelfer,1975). The Ministry of Agricultural and Business provided the technology and finical support to
the reforestation. Moreover, in the appeal of environmentalist, more and more people andorganizations committed to the environmental protection movements. In Japanese schools today,
26this history of Ashio was introduced to student as typical environmental movement case so thatthey can improve their environmental awareness. Today the environment of Ashio has been
restored well.
Reflecting on the history of Ashio, I want to examine the case in “Chinese Copper Town,”
Baiyin. This town is rich with copper and many mineral resources. Mineral resources were firstly
discovered in the 1950s by the Ministry of Geology. The Chinese Government assigned
university graduates and experienced metal workers to Baiyin to explore the economic potential
in this area. By 1989, Baiyin had become the second-biggest industrial city in Gansu Province
after the provincial capital, Lanzhou (Zhang, 2016).
However, the industrial development did not occur in harmony with the local environment.
In particular, factories built near the Yellow River heavily contaminated water by discharging up
to 1,900 tons of waste water every year. The irrigation water was polluted and affected farms
with heavy metals. Similar to Ashio, the color of water changed and a large number of fish died.
The damage caused by the dust from the copper refinery was evident in the 3,000 hectares ofsurrounding area (Gansu Baiyin, n.d.).
For solving the severe environmental problems, the Chinese government asked thecompany to do waste collection in a designated point to decrease the unnecessary waste disposal.
Moreover, it sponsored to plant trees to prevent from dust and flood. In addition, 12,000 m³ ofwetland was created (Gansu Baiyin, n.d.). Drawing on the experience of Ashio, I think this minearea needs to improve the filtering process of copper refinery to reduce the emission of dust andpollutants. However, the boom at Baiyin is subsiding and city’s former glory seems to be nearlygone. In 2008, Baiyin was called as “resource-exhausted city” (Zhang, 2016).
Both of Ashio and Baiyin are definitely bitter lessons for people in the world. These facts
tell us that economic and industrial developments would no doubt result in the environmental
disasters and potential problems which always tend to be long-lasting. In addition, I understandthat taking necessary measures in time plays a crucial role in protecting the environmental. For
this purpose, awareness and consideration for environmental preservation is essential. Overall, it
is a global issue to establish a positive relationship between sustainable environmental
development and industrialization. The Ashio fieldtrip was a meaningful experience and enriched
my knowledge. I expect getting more chances in the following study.
References
Environmental Justice Atlas (2016)
https://ejatlas.org/conflict/ashio-copper-mine-japan
Gansu Baiyin (n.d.) CAS.WEE Eco-Engineering Technology, Co., Ltd.
http://www.cas-wee.com/index.php?id=172
Notehelfer, 'Japan's First Pollution Incident', Journal of Japanese Studies, 1/2 (1975), p. 361,362
Shoji, Kichiro and Masuro Sugai (n.d.) “Protests against mining poisons and governmental
measures.” http://archive.unu.edu/unupress/unupbooks/uu35ie/uu35ie04.htm#ii.
Wikipedia, Ashio Copper Mine. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashio_Copper_Mine
Zhang, Wenli (2016)“Rich in Copper and Murders: The Story of Baiyin.” Sixth Tone, September 23.
http://www.sixthtone.com/news/rich-copper-and-murders-story-baiyin
27

What I Learned from Ashio Field Trip
Jia Wang (China)
It was a raining day. We gathered in the front of the University administration building at 8:00am
and then set off to Ashio. On the way to Ashio, I was very excited. Because my hometown was
famous for the coal mines in China. I found a lot in common between my hometown and Ashio. I
paid attention to its environmental governance. Although the Ashio Copper Mine has long beenabandoned, the government have taken many measures to recover the seriously damaged
environment. I wanted to take this opportunity to learn more about the effective measures toremediate contamination in Ashio.
The first place we visited was the Ashio Environment Study Center and the Matsuki area.
We arrived at approximately 10:30am. Our guide told us that there was tailing dam and reservoir
in the Matsuki area. We saw that the area had held sludge produced from the copper refinery
downstream in the past. The vegetation in the mountainous area was severely damaged before.
Our guide also said that the destruction of the surrounding vegetation was the result of the smeltingof the copper and the poisonous gas emission.
Through the long-term governance of the basin and the mountain, we could see a betterrecovery now. The mountains were filled with many trees. A lot of volunteer and government
support workers made contribution to the reforestation for about 30 years. The clean water came
down from the dam, making it so majestic. As far as the eye could see, it was all full of vigour.
There were many ladders on the mountains. They were built for the on-going reforestation projectby the ministry of land, infrastructure, transport and tourism.
Next we visited the Ashio copper refinery building. It had been abandoned for a long time. Fromthe point of view of the present, I could feel how developed once the copper industry was. The
refinery was originally established in this location in 1884. At that time it had produced copper inlarge quantities. In the early twentieth century, this was the largest mine in Japan, so the population
was increased to the second largest number after Utsunomiya in Tochigi Prefecture.[1]In the early 1880s, local residents noticed that water changed color and the fish died.[2] Lotsof fishermen had to leave.[3] The damage to the area was so serious, however, the government andthe prefecture remained inactive. At last, this mine was closed in 1973.[1] Today, the copper
refinery building is designated as a national historic site. This building helped us a lot to know
more about the past development of the copper mining industry in Ashio.
Before we had lunch, we observed Furukawa Bridge and the hydroelectric dam site. Thisbridge was completed in 1890. It was the oldest building structure which was still remained in
Ashio and was designated as nation’s important cultural heritage in 2014. The hydroelectric dam
in Mato was completed in 1890 and was Japan’s first hydroelectric dam site. It was used forproviding electricity to pump water, discharge water from mine tunnels and the operation ofvehicles. In 1906, a larger hydroelectric dam replaced the old one. These places helped have aglimpse of the old technology that helped the copper industry.
At noon we went to the Ashio History Museum. On the way to the museum, our guide told
us that with the efforts these years, many animals came back. I looked out the window for a few
minutes, and then saw two monkeys on the stone. This was due to the Ashio people’s effort for theenvironmental recovery.
We arrived at the Ashio History Museum in the afternoon. This place serves people who areinterested in Ashio history. The museum has two floors, exhibiting many different kinds ofphotographs about Ashio history and culture from the Edo period to the Showa period. The
photographs were reproduced the original appearance of Ashio from a variety of angles.[4] On thecorner of the second floor, many souvenirs about Ashio were displayed. It was a good arrangment28

for us to remember Ashio. After seeing the related pictures, we saw the panorama model of Ashio.
Our guide carefully explained to us about environmental recovery and the future of Ashio. As
environmental issues have become big problems in not only Japan but also many other countries
in the world, we could learn a lot of experience from Ashio. It was good reference for us to know
the importance of sustainable development and coordinate the relationship between economic
development and the environment.
On the way, we saw a public bath in the former Kotaki village site, and the guide told us thatthe miners cleaned the dust in the outer layer and then entered into the inner layer of bath. I was
surprised to hear that. Making a living must have been so hard. At the last destination, we had ashort glimpse at the cenotaph for Chinese laborers from the bus. Our guide told us about the historyof this cenotaph. During World War Ⅱ, about 257 Chinese laborers were forced to come from
China to Ashio to work in the mine. Among them, 109 persons were said to have passed away.
This cenotaph was placed in 1973 partly to keep this ugly part of Ashio’s history remembered.
In a word, I was so thankful to catch this good opportunity to learn more about thedevelopment of Japanese history. Although Ashio issue represented one aspect of environmental
problems, we could learn a lesson from it. I look forward to participating in such a field next time.
Bibliography[1] Ashio Copper Mine, 2010-2016. http://www.travel-around-japan.com/k36-34-ashio-coppermine.html. (Date of access: October 8, 2016).
[2] F. G. Notehelfer, 'Japan's First Pollution Incident', Journal of Japanese Studies, 1/2 (1975), p.
361.
[3] Notehelfer, 'Japan's First Pollution Incident', p. 362.
[4] Ashio Historical Museum, 2009. “About this museum.”
http://ashiorekishikan.com/ashiorekishikan. (Date of access: October 8, 2016).

29

Ashio: A Model for Sustainable Development
Jiang Yong (China)
We left school to the famous copper mine in Ashio on June 28, 2016 at 8:00 am. This field trip
gave me a deep impression about ecological restoration. The large-scale copper mine began in
1880. The copper extraction continued until 1973, and the refinery closed in 1989. In the last
fifty years or so, local residents, volunteers and the government of Japan have been committed toecological restoration in this area. Since then the forests have been steadily restored and somewildlife like bears, deer, and monkeys have returned. However, according to our guide, Ashio has
suffered from the rapid decline of the population, the number from heyday of about 50,000 down
to about 2,300 today. According to Wikipedia and the Nikko City website, at its heyday Ashio
had about 38,428 people,[1] but today it has 2,086 (as of September 1, 2016)[2].

The copper production from 1877 to 1891 rapidly increased. While the increasingly welloff miners in Ashio had something to celebrate, this was not the case among farmers andfishermen who lived along the Watarase and Tone rivers. As early as 1880 local residents along
the Watarase noticed the water turned into “bluish white”[3] and that dead fish came floating
down the river. Those who ate such fish became ill. Pollution in the Watarase River was causedby copper discharged from the Ashio Copper Mine. It became worse and led to one of the mostwell-known environmental pollution problems in Japan[4].
Partly because of Ashio’s inaccessibility, most of the timber needed by the mine wasinitially taken from the surrounding hills. With the increase in production, the naturalenvironment was destroyed. Local residents asked the government to make the company reduce
pollution. But the copper mining in the 1880s and 1890s was an ecologically dirty operationworldwide. Furukawa and other Japanese copper producers were competing with major Westerncompanies, and the Japanese government was naturally reluctant to impose restrictions on the
Ashio Copper Mine. As the safety of residents was threated constantly, anti-mining movements
emerged.
Now, through more than 50 years of restoration efforts of the valley environment,
including volunteers and government support, most mountains are covered with plants. Mr.
Mikio Aoki, our guide, told us that the descendants don’t forget what Ashio was like. Clear waterflows in rivers. When we took the bus across the mountain road, we found monkeys playing on
the road side. Mr. Aoki also told us that now there are hundreds of deer appear in winter andspring.
At the Ashio History Museum, our guide spoke systematically about the copper mine. As I
became very interested in this copper mine, I carefully reviewed each photograph and items.
Then I could image the prosperity in this area. Ashio had the glorious past. To me, Ashio is a
microcosm of Japan's development. It is also a huge cultural treasure. It is a model in theecological restoration for other countries, which still have smelting factories or abandoned30mines. Before our lunch, I bought two sets of postcards related to Ashio in the past. I wanted toremember the prosperous days of Ashio. I felt I must come here again in the future.
After lunch, we took the bus to see the cenotaph for Chinese laborers. During World War
Ⅱ, about 257 Chinese laborers were forced to come here to work in the mine. Among them, 109
persons were said to have passed away. This cenotaph was placed in 1973 partly to keep thisugly part of Ashio’s history remembered. I think this tiny memorial shows the Japanese love forpeace and respect for history. Besides that place, we also saw the public bath in the former
Kotaki village site on our return road, now it was dry, but I could imagine the lively scenes ofminers who, after leaving dusty tunnels, came here to clean. At last, when we returned to one of
the famous bridges in Ashio, we took a group photo, and said goodbye to Mr. Aoki. At this time,
I clearly remember he, who grew up in Ashio and was about 70 years old, said: “You have to
study hard in Japan and make contributions to your country in the future.” As the bus taking off,
I looked back twice waved to him, and he also waved goodbye to me.
In the future, I hope Ashio will invite people from over the world who are somewhat related
to mines and government officers, by organizing, for example, environmental restoration
meeting about mines every two years. By so doing, participants and Ashio people share andlisten to their efforts for ecological restoration in similar kinds of mines. I also believe one day
the Ashio copper mine will become the World Heritage site, and more people will select here as
their settlement.
References
1. Wikipedia. “Ashio.”
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%B6%B3%E5%B0%BE%E7%94%BA, Date of access:Oct. 3, 2016.
2. Nikko City. “The Population.” http://www.city.nikko.lg.jp/shimin/jinkou/, Date of access:Oct. 3, 2016.
3. Kurihara, Hikosaburo, ed., (1925) Tanaka Shōzō, Gijin zenshū. Vol. 5. Chugai Shinronsha.
4. Ui, J., ed. (1992) Industry Pollution in Japan. United Nations Unversity Press, Tokyo.
http://www.unu.edu/unupress/unupbooks/uu35ie/uu35ie00.htm#Contents.

31