A total of 49 cases of groundwater use by individuals or entities believed to be foreign have been identified across Japan as of October, in 11 locations under municipal authority and one under prefectural authority, a government survey showed Tuesday.
The total of 49 included two planned uses of groundwater. Groundwater uses included drinking water, recycling businesses, snow-melting and sake production, according to a report by the Sankei Shimbun. The prefecture or municipalities where groundwater is being used were not identified.
The survey is the first of its kind to be conducted by the Japanese government, and was carried out following concerns about foreign parties acquiring water sources. It examined notifications submitted regarding groundwater use and the amount used to identify whether the individuals or entities may be foreign, based on their names or places of residence.
All prefectures and municipalities in the country were covered by the survey. In all of the cases identified, groundwater was being used appropriately after obtaining permission or following other procedures from the relevant municipalities. There were no reports on ground sinking or trouble with local residents.
The survey also found that 26 prefectures and 236 municipalities have ordinances requiring those planning to use groundwater to submit applications for approval or to present reports, while 714 municipalities impose restrictions on groundwater use under their respective ordinances.
It is difficult for local governments with no ordinances to monitor groundwater use, including by foreign parties.
¡°It seems that local governments without ordinances have been unable to grasp cases (of groundwater use),¡± said an official of the Cabinet Secretariat¡¯s Headquarters for Water Cycle Policy, which conducted the survey.
Land minister Yasushi Kaneko told a news conference Tuesday, ¡°We will first ask local governments across the country to introduce ordinances so that they can figure out the reality about groundwater use.¡±
¡°We will also consider establishing a national framework to understand the situation¡± regarding groundwater use, he added, indicating the possibility of formulating a related law, among other measures.
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