Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
of 1980s, NGOs are strongly critical to dam development with involun-
tary resettlement and mobilize international campaign against such devel-
opment. On the other hand, states and donors become more cautious to
implement such projects by adopting more sophisticated procedures such
as improved safeguard policies in order to avoid conflict and impoverish-
ment of resettled people.
2
2. Dam Development and Involuntary Resettlement
in Japan
In Japan, there are more than 2,500 dams constructed. Especially, in 1950s
and 1960s, with the growing demand for electricity and water as well as
flood control, there was a boom for dam construction. Although, in Japan,
the number of households affected in one dam construction were relatively
small (around a few hundred) compared with the current developing coun-
tries' cases, there were a number of dam constructions with involuntary
resettlement. In 1962, “the Guideline on Compensation Standard for the
Loss Caused by Public Land Acquisition” ('Sonshitsu Hosho Kijun Yoko'
in Japanese) was established and since then compensation has been made
in monetary basis commonly in any public works including dam construc-
tion. Before having established this guideline, some of the project promoters
had devised and tried innovative and unique way of compensation consid-
ering reconstruction of livelihood of resettled inhabitants.
3
In developing
countries today, reflecting the observation that large amount of money as
compensation was spent away immediately or put resettlers into diculties,
reconstruction of livelihood through income restoration is perceived as one
of major challenges in involuntary resettlement.
4
Therefore, it is assumed
that in Japanese early experiences there might be lessons or knowledge
which may be applicable or useful in the current practice in developing
countries.
3. Ikawa Dam Construction and Resettlement — New
Village Building
Ikawa Dam in the Ohi River, located in Central Japan, was completed in
1957 for hydro electric power generation built by Chubu Electric Power
Company. Although the plan to construct Ikawa dam was conceived long
back, it had to be waited until 1952 that realization of this plan was firmly
