High court rules dike floodgates in southwest Japan to remain closed

I feel for the fishermen, JA has way too much power in Japan and this just shows it.

Japanese government in a nutshell: When you make a poor decision, double down. Ariake Sea is dying as its banks are concreted in.

The high court said that opening the gates at this time will "heavily affect" the lives of the people who have engaged in farming for more than 20 years on the reclaimed land.

I'd be willing to bet constructing the dike and closing the flood gates "heavily affected" the lives of the fishermen whose fishing grounds were destroyed.

Japanese government in a nutshell: When you make a poor decision, double down.

Double down, the environment gets screwed and the tax payers foot the bill. $2.3 billion for the reclamation, $1.2 billion paid to the fishermen plus whatever is deposited in the fund for the future. It's just crazy, an insane waste of time and money.

They should've never started this land reclamation project. I remember from back in the day the local fishing industry opposing the start of this and for good reason.

Why can't Japan leave it's beautiful natural beauty intact without slamming down concrete and steel everywhere negatively altering the natural flow of things?

without slamming down concrete and steel everywhere

Farmland is not concrete and steel.

It created 670 hectares of farmland and a reservoir for use in farming at a cost of 253 billion yen ($2.28 billion).

The stupidity of excessive public works projects in Japan laid bare. The countryside (including Nagasaki prefecture) is losing population so fast that they don't have enough people to work the land and loads of farmland is being abandoned.

So what does the government do? Spend 2$ billion to make more farmland in the countryside of course.

I remember this man made disaster well, it has to rank at or near the top for the most IDIOTIC idea IMPLIMENTED in Japan!!

Destruction of the environment for a tiny bit of extra farmland at a cost that will never ever even close be recovered, the lunacy of this disgrace truly boggles the mind.

Sadly Isahaya is a PERFECT metaphor for Japans ongoing self destruction!

Farmland is not concrete and steel.

The dikes are being referred to.

Actually I'm in favour of protecting coasts and riverbanks against the elements where it's sensible and people are at risk.. But in this case, it was blatant destruction of a habitat. Things would have been better, and cheaper, with no interference.