What Will Happen to the Construction of the Yatsuba Dam? The prefectures concerned are shaken by the cancellation statement.

November 15, 2009, Naganohara, Japan - An elevated road is under construction over Agatsuma River near Yamba Dam in the town of Naganohara, Gunma Prefecture, north of Tokyo, on November 15, 2009. Yamba Dam is Japan's biggest dam construction project by value, with direct national and local government expenditure exceeding 900 billion yen. Initially the dam was planned for flood control and water for domestic, agricultural, industrial, and other uses. But, in line with changing social conditions in recent years, demand for water is trending downward and scientific doubts have been raised about the efficacy of the dam for flood control. The dam would flood an area of 316 hectares, require 422 households to relocate, and affect the lives of 1,100 residents. (Photo by Koichi Mitsui/AFLO) [3101] -mis-