An ongoing reclamation project in Isahaya Bay, Nagasaki Prefecture, will have to be scaled down as the current plan "is unrealistic to pursue," farm minister Tsutomu Takebe said Tuesday.
Takebe's remarks, made at a news conference following a Cabinet meeting, indicate the controversial project will face a comprehensive review.
The Isahaya Bay project has been blamed for a record-poor harvest of nori in the adjacent Ariake Sea. Strong protests from local fishermen have stalled work since February.