The Diet has enacted a basic law on the water cycle, which is set to take effect by July. The legislation, submitted by a supra-partisan group of lawmakers, aims to maintain and restore the water cycle — the constant movement of water above, on and below the surface of the earth in the form of vapor, rain or snowfall, rivers, lakes, aquifers and oceans — in this country.
Disruption to this cycle could result in water shortages or declines in water quality. Water shortage is already a serious issue in many other countries. On the strength of the basic law, the government needs to adopt concrete measures so that Japan can continue to secure a sufficient amount of clean water, which is indispensable in ensuring a healthy life for people and a vigorous pursuit of economic activities.
At present the administration of water is segmented among different government organizations. Rivers and sewerage systems are under the jurisdiction of the land and infrastructure ministry; headwater areas in mountains under the Forestry Agency; agricultural water under the farm ministry; city tap water under the health and welfare ministry; and water for industrial use under the trade and industry ministry. This reflects the lack of a system for protecting the nation's water resources from the viewpoint of the water cycle.