嘉徳海岸を守るための署名にご協力いただいた皆さまへ

このたび、私たち住民が鹿児島県を相手に起こしていた嘉徳海岸の護岸工事をめぐる住民訴訟は、最高裁にて「上告を受理しない」という決定が下され、事実上、訴えが退けられる形で終結しました。

まず初めに、全国・全世界からこの署名にご協力くださった皆さまに、心より感謝申し上げます。皆さまの声が、私たちの大きな力となりました。

この訴訟は、2014年の台風後に進められたコンクリート護岸工事の必要性と妥当性を問うものでした。嘉徳海岸は、季節や年によって大きく姿を変える動的な自然海岸であり、護岸工事は砂の移動を妨げ、むしろ災害リスクを高めるおそれがあること、そして豊かな生態系や景観への悪影響を訴えてきました。

残念ながら、裁判所は私たちの主張に正面から向き合うことなく、行政の判断を広く追認しました。

しかし、この裁判の過程で、嘉徳海岸の自然的価値が改めて明らかになり、世界自然遺産のバッファーゾーンにも指定されるなど、国際的にも重要な場所として認められるに至りました。

嘉徳海岸は、今もなお、コンクリートで固められていない数少ない自然の浜です。 風と波がつくる砂の丘、豊かな生き物の営み、それを守りながら暮らしてきた人々の歴史と文化。 この場所を未来へと残していくことは、私たちの責任であり、私たち一人ひとりに託された使命でもあると思います。

私たちは、今回の司法判断に深い失望を抱きつつも、嘉徳海岸のかけがえのない価値を信じ、これからもその保全に取り組んでいきます。

今後は、国内外のネットワークと連携し、嘉徳海岸の未来を守る活動を続けてまいります。

どうか今後とも、嘉徳海岸へのご注目とご支援をよろしくお願いいたします。

最後に、これまで声を寄せてくださったすべての皆さまに、心からの感謝を申し上げます。

嘉徳の自然は、まだ生きています。
そしてその声を届け続けるために、私たちは歩みを止めません。

署名の提出を予定しておりますので、ぜひ、皆様もこの署名を広げ続けてください！

みんなの声を届けましょう！！！

署名リンク　 (https://change.org/savekatoku)

 

ありがとうございました。

署名発起人名 JM Takaki／（一社）奄美の森と川と海岸を守る会  - (president) Association for the conservation of Amami's forests, rivers and coastal ecosystems

 

FB: https://www.facebook.com/katokuhama

IG: https://www.instagram.com/katokujurassicbeach/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@savekatoku

Website:https://amamiworldheritage.org

Donation (ご寄付): https://amamiworldheritage.org/donate/ja

 

No Justice for Nature: Katoku and the Concrete Grip on Japan’s Coasts

Dear supporters,

We would like to sincerely thank each and every one of you who signed our petition to protect Katoku Beach on Amami Island, Japan.  Please continue to share the petition as the next phase of the battle to save Katoku beach has started. 

Our lawsuit against Kagoshima Prefecture concerning the seawall construction at Katoku Beach has concluded. The Supreme Court's decision to reject our final appeal effectively ends the legal proceedings, leaving our claims unaddressed.

This legal action was initiated to challenge the necessity and appropriateness of a large-scale concrete seawall project proposed by the prefecture following a dune scarp event during a typhoon in 2014. We questioned whether such a project was scientifically justified and environmentally sound.

Throughout the trial, we presented the following key points:

•  Dynamic Coastal Environment: Katoku Beach is characterized by its natural dynamism, with significant seasonal and long-term fluctuations in its shape and profile.
• Disruption of Natural Processes: Introducing large artificial structures would interfere with the natural movement of sand, undermining the beach's ability to regenerate and potentially increasing disaster risks for the Katoku community.
• Ecological Impact: Constructing such structures in Katoku, known for its pristine natural scenery and rich biodiversity, would harm its delicate ecosystem.
• Natural Recovery: Since 2014, there has been no coastal erosion. On the contrary, the beach has shown consistent signs of recovery, with its sand dunes expanding and stabilizing over time.

These assertions were supported by expert analyses and field observations. Central to our argument was a straightforward question: Why implement an erosion control project in an area where no erosion is occurring? Unfortunately, the courts did not provide a substantive response.

We maintain that disaster prevention strategies should leverage the natural protective functions of Katoku’s sandy beach, integrating coastal management with the safety and well-being of the local community.

During the course of the lawsuit, Katoku’s natural significance received international recognition. UNESCO designated it as part of the buffer zone of a World Natural Heritage site, emphasizing the need for coastal policies that harmonize human activity with nature. This designation reflects a global consensus on the importance of conserving areas like Katoku in a manner that respects their ecological value and supports sustainable local livelihoods.

The policy we advocated—centered on enhancing the natural disaster mitigation role of unmodified coastlines—is aligned with the principles of the World Heritage Convention and the direction of Japan’s newly revised Coastal Act.

However, the Supreme Court’s refusal to hear our appeal upholds the previous ruling, which broadly validated administrative decisions without thorough scrutiny. This outcome grants extensive discretionary powers to the government, suggesting that administrative decisions are to be presumed correct regardless of the facts.

We are deeply disappointed by this result, which we believe represents a failure of justice. Nevertheless, we remain committed to protecting the value of Katoku Beach and will continue our efforts for its future.

Throughout this process, we have received overwhelming support and solidarity from across Japan. People from diverse backgrounds have shared their thoughts, encouragement, and concern, expanding a growing network of individuals who care about the future of Katoku.

While the courts may not have recognized our claims, the facts we presented and the public awareness we’ve helped raise remain powerful tools. We are now moving into the next phase of our efforts.

This is no longer just a local issue.

The situation at Katoku reveals deep-rooted structural problems in Japan's management of its World Natural Heritage sites: inadequate protection measures, a lack of transparency and accountability, a fundamental misunderstanding of what conservation truly entails, and a disregard for the principles and obligations set forth by the World Heritage Convention.

This is also a human rights issue.

It concerns the right of people to live in harmony with nature, the right of local communities to participate in decisions that directly affect their environment and livelihoods, and—most importantly—the right of those who speak out for the protection of nature, especially in internationally recognized sites like World Natural Heritage areas, to be heard, respected, and protected in the course of their advocacy.
We will continue to raise awareness of these critical issues—not only within Japan, but also among the international community and intergovernmental organizations.

Katoku is not a lost cause—it is still a living, vibrant, and healthy beach, breathtaking in its natural beauty. It stands as one of the last, perhaps the very last, beach hamlets in all of Japan where no seawall has yet destroyed the natural shoreline.

This is not only a place of extraordinary ecological value; it is a site of deep cultural significance for a country that has already sacrificed much of its coastline to concrete and irreversible damage. To preserve Katoku is to preserve a part of Japan's natural soul.

It is our collective responsibility—each and every one of us—to ensure that this irreplaceable treasure is passed on to the next generation. For the sake of biodiversity, for cultural memory, and for a future in which people can still know what an unspoiled Japanese coastline looks and feels like, we must act.

Please continue to follow and support our efforts by continuing to spread and share this petition. https://change.org/savekatoku

Thank you again from the bottom of our hearts.

 

With gratitude,

 

JM Takaki／（一社）奄美の森と川と海岸を守る会  - (president) Association for the conservation of Amami's forests, rivers and coastal ecosystems

FB: https://www.facebook.com/katokuhama

IG: https://www.instagram.com/katokujurassicbeach/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@savekatoku

Website: https://amamiworldheritage.org

Donation: https://amamiworldheritage.org/donate/en