2004 Volume 10 Pages 8-24
The aim of this paper is to focus on the regional differences of environmental issues and show that geographical perspectives are important in order to recognize them. I refer to four case studies, which are environmental issues caused by wetland developments. The first is the development of water resources and land reclamation in Lake Kasumigaura in the Tokyo metropolitan area. The second is the Nakaumi Land Reclamation Project in the Sanin region. The third is Isahaya Bay Tideland Reclamation Project in the Kyushu region. And the forth is Saemangeum Tideland Reclamation Project in southwest Korea. These projects have a lot in common. But the environmental issues are quite different. Why do similar projects cause different issues in different region?
These environmental issues would be better recognized if they are caused by struggles for ‘meaning of place’ rather than by perpetrator-victim relations. The latter perspective involves the thought that perpetrators are wrong and victims are right, but the former perspective relativizes all actors who are concerned with the issues. Furthermore, in compound issues like the problems of Lake Kasumigaura, the conflicts of interest are so complicated that the ‘benefit zone’ or ‘loss zone’ is not clear. The perspectives of struggles for ‘meaning of place’ are very simple. The struggle for the ‘meaning of place’ is a problem of the sense of value and it is necessary to bridge the gap in values for problem solving.
To focus on the ‘meaning of place’ requires placing more importance on regional diversification. And regionality is one of the indispensable viewpoints for seeing environmental issues.
