{"id":801,"date":"2025-09-29T04:55:38","date_gmt":"2025-09-28T19:55:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rusutsu-sustainable.com\/?p=801"},"modified":"2025-09-29T04:55:38","modified_gmt":"2025-09-28T19:55:38","slug":"how-do-we-get-water-people-and-living-to-turn-as-one","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rusutsu-sustainable.com\/?p=801&lang=en","title":{"rendered":"How Do We Get \u201cWater, People, and Living\u201d to Turn as One?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A Gentle Lecture on Water Circulation by MLIT\u2019s Seiji Amano (Lecture Report)<\/strong><\/h2><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n

\u300c\u201cToday I\u2019ll start with water circulation, then connect it to economic circulation\u2014and finally to the circulation of people.\u201d
Mr. Seiji Amano<\/strong>, Cabinet Secretariat Counsellor at Japan\u2019s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT)<\/strong>, unraveled a difficult theme from an everyday-life perspective. Far from a stiff policy talk, it felt tangible and lived-in\u2014packed with hints we who live in the regions should know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, know \u201cJapan today\u201d: not just how many<\/em> people, but where<\/em> they live is shifting<\/strong><\/h2><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n
    \n
  • Japan\u2019s population peaked around 128 million<\/strong> in 2008<\/strong>. It is now declining, with projections of about 100 million<\/strong> around 2050<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • What matters is the imbalance between places losing and places retaining population<\/strong>. For example, Hokkaido<\/strong> is forecast to shrink from 5+ million<\/strong> to 3+ million<\/strong>.
    <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    In towns under 10,000<\/strong> people, \u201cnice-to-have\u201d services like cinemas or department stores become hard to sustain (the so-called \u201cStarbucks chart\u201d<\/em> story). Securing shopping<\/strong> and secondary transport<\/strong> becomes central to daily life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In short, it\u2019s not that the raw number of people will \u201cbounce back\u201d; it\u2019s that where<\/strong> people live is rebalancing. The challenge is how to support everyday services across an area<\/strong>, not just point by point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Bringing water circulation \u201cdown to daily life\u201d<\/strong><\/h2><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n

    In recent years we\u2019re seeing more extremes<\/strong>: intense downpours in some places while overall rainfall is scarce<\/em>. As population declines and water use patterns change, water and sewer infrastructure<\/strong> can deteriorate more easily. We must prepare for both flooding and drought<\/strong>.
    The key, therefore, is to measure<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    • The Basic Act on the Water Cycle (2014)<\/strong> made a sound water cycle<\/em> a national policy.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • In 2021<\/strong>, groundwater management<\/strong> was explicitly incorporated\u2014visualizing groundwater levels and volumes<\/strong> to use them wisely.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • The 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake<\/strong> exposed the fragility of water infrastructure, underscoring the need for preparedness in normal times.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      \u201cIf you don\u2019t measure, you can\u2019t verify\u2014good or bad.\u201d
      Data becomes the foundation for building local consensus<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Think \u201cacross the entire basin\u201d: flood control \u00d7 water use \u00d7 natural environment<\/strong><\/h2><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n

      Optimizing just rivers or just water\/sewer systems is hitting its limits.
      Mr. Amano advocates integrated basin water management<\/strong>\u2014planning flood control<\/strong>, water use<\/strong>, and environmental conservation<\/strong> together across the whole watershed<\/strong>.
      That, in turn, requires a better balance of self-help, mutual help, and public help<\/strong>, plus coordination beyond silos<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Enlist the power of companies and forests: more \u201centry points\u201d to join<\/strong><\/h2><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n
        \n
      • MLIT is promoting corporate-led forest creation<\/strong>, with a quantitative method to evaluate water-source recharge<\/strong> (groundwater fostering capacity) slated for publication within this fiscal year<\/strong>.
        \u2192 We\u2019ll be able to explain how much water forests retain<\/strong>\u2014in numbers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • MLIT launched the Water Circulation Corporate Registration & Certification System (FY 2024)<\/strong>.
        \u2192 Already 89 companies<\/strong> registered; 10<\/strong> have \u201cchallenge\u201d registrations. The logo<\/strong> may be used, making corporate practices visible<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

        It\u2019s no longer just researchers and municipalities: companies and citizens<\/strong> are getting structured ways to participate<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Creating the circulation of people: the option of \u201cdual-region living\u201d<\/strong><\/h2><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n

        Rather than competing over permanent migration, increase the flow itself<\/strong>\u2014the comings and goings<\/strong>.
        Legal groundwork is progressing, and the promotion of dual-region living<\/strong> is moving into full swing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Three challenges:<\/strong> housing, livelihoods, and community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Concrete steps:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

          \n
        • Renovating and utilizing vacant homes<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Improving connectivity<\/strong> for remote work
          Creating gathering places<\/strong> and invitational mechanisms<\/strong> for community<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Already 40+ regions<\/strong> are trying this nationwide, with a national platform involving 700+ municipalities<\/strong> and 300+ companies\/organizations<\/strong> up and running.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Near our venue, Rankoshi<\/strong> and Kutchan<\/strong> are already on board (with a hopeful nudge for Rusutsu<\/strong> to join).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

          MLIT is also considering a \u201chometown resident registration\u201d<\/strong> scheme.
          If dual-region residents can be identified via an app, local rules<\/strong> (e.g., garbage disposal) and community point systems<\/strong> can be administered more smoothly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Don\u2019t shoulder it alone: the idea of a \u201cregional life sphere\u201d<\/strong><\/h2><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n

          This is not about forced mergers; it\u2019s about multiple municipalities collaborating<\/strong> to maintain everyday services across boundaries<\/strong>.
          With help from private operators and NPOs, regions can support shopping, mobility, medical care, welfare, and education<\/strong> across jurisdictions<\/strong>.
          Related leading projects are underway; Hokkaido<\/strong> already has multiple adoptions\u2014more opportunities lie ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Summary: start small, and spin the cycle together<\/strong><\/h2><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n

          Mr. Amano\u2019s points all invited us to make it our own<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \n
          1. Measure first<\/strong> (groundwater, flows, and usage)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          2. Optimize at the basin scale<\/strong> (flood control \u00d7 use \u00d7 environment)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          3. Broaden participation<\/strong> by forests, companies, and citizens (with policy support)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          4. Increase movement<\/strong> (dual-region living to create a circulation of people<\/em>)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          5. Support services across towns<\/strong> (the regional life-sphere approach)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

            Peace of mind in daily life\u2014and vibrant local economies\u2014grow when the circulations of water, people, and the economy<\/strong> turn together<\/strong>.
            The hard parts become doable when we measure \u2192 share \u2192 trial small<\/strong>. With participation mechanisms<\/strong>, communities become stronger and more resilient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            When the talk ended, I found my hands wanting to act: What can we measure in our own town? Who can we partner with?<\/em>
            It was that kind of nudge-forward lecture.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

            \u300c\u201cToday I\u2019ll start with water circulation, then connect it to economic circulation\u2014and finally to the circulat […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":780,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jinr_url_youtube":"","_jinr_pip_youtube":false,"_jinr_time_youtube":"","_jinr_thumb_youtube":"","_jinr_media_youtube":"","_jinr_category_edit":false,"_jinr_category":"","_jinr_title_display":false,"_jinr_snsbutton_display":false,"_jinr_ads_display":false,"_jinr_thumbnail_display":false,"_jinr_profile_display":false,"_jinr_representations_display":false,"_jinr_relatedpost_display":false,"_jinr_sidebar1col_display":false,"_jinr_sidebar2col_display":false,"_jinr_seotitle_display":"","_jinr_description_display":"","_jinr_keyword_display":"","_jinr_hastag_display":"","_jinr_canonical_display":"","_jinr_noindex_display":false,"_jinr_paidpost":false,"_jinr_paidpost_product_id":"","_jinr_headtag_article":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[58],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-801","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-examples-of-cooperation-en"],"views":"11","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rusutsu-sustainable.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/801","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rusutsu-sustainable.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rusutsu-sustainable.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rusutsu-sustainable.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rusutsu-sustainable.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=801"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/rusutsu-sustainable.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/801\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":803,"href":"https:\/\/rusutsu-sustainable.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/801\/revisions\/803"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rusutsu-sustainable.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/780"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rusutsu-sustainable.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=801"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rusutsu-sustainable.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=801"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rusutsu-sustainable.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=801"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}