HIROSHIMA (Kyodo) Hiroshima Gov. Yuzan Fujita on Thursday appealed a court order to protect Seto Inland Sea scenery by stopping a public works project in the area that served as an inspiration for the animated film "Gake no Ue no Ponyo" ("Ponyo on the Cliff)."
The Hiroshima District Court issued the injunction Oct. 1 suspending a license for the launch of a land-reclamation and bridge-building project affecting the Tomonoura district in Fukuyama, Hiroshima Prefecture.
Fujita's appeal with the Hiroshima High Court says the decision could affect other public works if the project is halted for the sake of a "vague" cause of scenery preservation.
It was the first court ruling to block a public works plan for the benefit of local residents seeking to preserve scenery.
A group of residents had filed a lawsuit seeking the halt.
Academy Award-winning director Hayao Miyazaki's latest film "Gake no Ue no Ponyo" was inspired by the district.