HIROSHIMA (Kyodo) The Hiroshima Prefectural Government will appeal a landmark district court ruling that effectively blocks a public works project by putting primary emphasis on protecting scenery, government sources said Sunday.
Gov. Yuzan Fujita will make the official decision to appeal the Hiroshima District Court ruling on Thursday, the deadline for filing an appeal, the sources said.
The court issued an injunction Oct. 1 to suspend a license filed for the launch of a reclamation and bridge-building project affecting the scenery in a fishing district in Fukuyama, an area known for well-preserved buildings and facilities.
"The scenery of Tomonoura is in the interests of the public and can be considered an asset for the Japanese people," the district court ruled.
While the court determined the project would seriously affect the scenery, the prefectural government argues it will make it difficult for local residents to evacuate in an emergency if the narrow roads in the district are left untouched.
The Tomonoura area has harbor facilities from the Edo Period (1603-1867), and the people who brought the lawsuit want to preserve the views of the streets and many of the structures, as well as views of the islets in the Seto Inland Sea, which can be seen from residential areas.
The International Council on Monuments and Sites designated Tomonoura an endangered historical area because of the project. It adopted resolutions in 2005 and 2008 calling for the plan to be reconsidered.