The nation's rural communities are becoming more vocal about central government priorities.
An untold story is emerging in the mountains, farmlands, and forests of Japan.
On March 11, 2011, disaster struck the island country: first in the form of one of the largest earthquakes to hit the island country and, second, a nuclear reactor meltdown.
The disasters have forced the Japanese government to reconsider its position on energy and environmental planning.
But while considerable time has been dedicated to the ways in which Japan can surmount the questions of energy security in the post-Fukushima Daiichi era, a new story - not one cradled in the bright lights of Tokyo or Osaka, but instead in the ancient Japanese countryside - is being ignored. Rural communities throughout Japan are becoming increasingly vocal about an urban-rural divide that has been generally unquestioned for over 150 years. This newfound rural voice is pulsating throughout the countryside, speaking of environmental justice and an unfair urban bias in planning. As the Japanese government continues with ongoing energy and environmental planning debates in this new era, this voice is positioned to become increasingly loud.
Source: The Diplomat
