Analysis of Consensus Building Process in Policy Introduction from the Viewpoint of Landscape Conservation

A Case Study of Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture, Japan

Abstract

Interest in environmental and landscape conservation increased in Japan, during and after the period of rapid economic growth, and citizen movements for bottom-up policies based on the consensus building of local residents have developed in various regions. The importance of everyday landscapes, coined as "living townscapes," is increasingly recognized, but the question as to what kind of consensus-building process has led to the preservation of these landscapes, remain unanswered. This paper carried out two case studies in Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture, Japan to understand the public process to legally designate townscape conservation areas. In addition, this paper discusses the keys in consensus building for local townscape conservation.