Japan is a relatively small, ultra-high density, coastal, industrially developed, East Asian nation. It uses its highly variable, complex, superbly beautiful, and extremely vulnerable and hazardous coastal environment very intensively. However, the national government, which is primarily responsible for coastal affairs, has yet to develop a comprehensive management-and-planning system for that environment. In this paper, the administrative context and legal basis as well as the problem of coastal area ownership and rights are briefly introduced as are the factors involved in coastal area planning. A cross section of views on the government's approach to coastal area management follows, and finally suggestions are made regarding several adaptations or changes considered desirable to help make the approach better able to cope with the nation's coastal area problems.
Tijdschrift beschrijving