NAGANOHARA, Gunma Pref. (Kyodo) Land minister Seiji Maehara paid a visit Wednesday to the proposed site for the Yamba Dam in Gunma Prefecture as the new government prepared to scrap what is widely perceived as a wasteful public works project, despite strong opposition from local residents.
A week after taking office, the land, infrastructure, transport and tourism minister went to the banks of the Agatsuma River, an upstream tributary to the Tone River that flows through the Kanto region surrounding Tokyo, to view the planned spot for the dam. Preparation work has begun but actual construction work has not. He also visited a relocation site for residents of areas that would be submerged.
But his attempt to soothe opponents hit a snag as those most seriously affected decided Monday to boycott a Wednesday meeting with him after Maehara refused their request to first withdraw the scrapping of the 57-year-old project in order to start a fresh exchange of opinions with a clean slate.