Backed by the Save Katoku conservation group he founded in 2017, Takaki asserts that Katoku beach is the village’s biggest asset and that building a seawall would cause its destruction. He claims the project also violates Japan’s obligation to preserve Amami Oshima’s environment following the island’s recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage site last year.
By lining the coast with concrete structures, Japan is losing its beaches, especially as it looks to a future of worsening climate impacts.
Battle to stop Kagoshima seawall highlights divide over coastal engineering
The Japan Times, 24/10/22
Featured image: Katoku Beach in Amami Oshima, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan © Jean-Marc Takaki/Save Katoku
