The Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry has informally decided to pursue new legislation to prevent urban disasters caused by sewerage systems overflowing during heavy rain, according to ministry officials.
The planned legislation is aimed at dealing with the increasing incidence of torrential rainfall in urban areas that some meteorologists are blaming on global warming, and at improving water circulation, the officials said.
In September 2000, more than 7,000 homes in and around Nagoya were flooded after a levee broke during record rainfall.