Photo of Lake Biwa by Ka23 13, File:LakeBiwa 20190505 085953.jpg – Wikimedia Commons
The Red Tide
Estimated to be about 4 million years old, Japan’s Lake Biwa is one the oldest lakes in the world. Mentioned as the “O-mi sea” (the “nearby ocean”) in ancient poetry, it remains a cultural icon to this day. It is also an important economic resource, providing the majority of drinking water for the Kyoto-Osaka region.
Shiga Prefecture, with Higashio-mi region highlighted in blue, where Iba is located. Lake Biwa sits in the middle of the prefecture.
In 1977, the pristine waters of Lake Biwa turned red.
A “red tide” of anaerobic bacteria covered the lake’s surface in the 1970s, mainly due to household detergent runoff. People were aware that the water was enduring polluted runoff from nearby industries for decades, but the bleeding red waves showed just how serious the pollution was. Towns surrounding the lake, infuriated, wondered what they could do to protect their drinking water and restore one of Japan’s important cultural landscapes. A case study by Katsue Fukamachi outlines the cleaning-up process of Lake Biwa through the perspective of the town of Iba, home to one of the main tributaries of the lake.
The Inconveniences of Modernization
Iba is a classic example of a satoyama, a rural landscape made up of a mosaic of different ecosystems including rice fields, woodlands, and grasslands characteristic of Japan. Before WWII, people tended to live and die in areas where they were born. People used natural resources wisely so future generations could keep using them. Forests were repeatedly planted with trees to use for lumber, and the Venice-like canals crisscrossing the town ran clear while koi fish played in the waters.
The post-World War II era transformed the Japanese social and agricultural landscape. The introduction of cheap fuel, inexpensive food, and a meat-based diet led many Japanese people to adopt Western food culture. As of 2022, rice consumption levels had fallen to less than half of what they were in the 1960s. In turn, the consumption of livestock-derived food increased. Chemical fertilizers and pesticides were introduced, and while that increased land productivity, it polluted the environment.
The polluted water from towns like Iba entered Lake Biwa, spoiling its water quality. But, for a while, there didn’t seem to be a significant effect on its overall drinkability. The cleanup of the lake wasn’t at the forefront of peoples’ minds while Japan raced to rebuild after WWII.
How did Iba residents, the Prefectural government, and Japan as a whole grapple with the massive environmental consequences of westernization? The study focuses on how the government’s recognition of the multifunctional role of traditional-style Japanese agriculture, also known as ecosystem services, spurred environmental conservation in Japan.
Rallying a Nation
By framing environmental protection and the preservation of Japanese traditional agriculture in terms of ecosystem services, national and local governments were able to effectively convince multiple stakeholders and pass multiple policies to protect Japanese farmers and the satoyama. Shiga Prefecture, home to Lake Biwa, was the first Prefectural government to pass such policies. In 2004, they established a program that gave stipends to farmers to support local culture and landscape. Following suit, in 2011, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (MAFF) launched a national direct payment program for environmentally friendly agriculture.
Using this funding, Iba residents established many environmental organizations such as the “Iba Environmental Conservation Association” and undertook local measures to preserve the local landscape and wildlife. This included “fish ladder construction, water quality surveys, and installation of charcoal filtration systems to purify the water”. The farmers also reduced the pesticide use in rice production to help conserve the fish communities within the canals as well as in the Lake.
The local community also changed the school curriculum to teach children the importance of protecting their local landscape. To make nature a more common presence and illustrate the importance of the water that flows throughout the town, schools teach about the connection between the rivers, the Iba canals, and Lake Biwa.
The town’s collaboration between farmers, concerned residents, volunteers, companies, and authorities made the establishment of multiple environmental organizations possible, contributing to the promotion of the Iba satoyama landscape and the conservation of its waterway-dependent ecosystem.
The Future of Iba and Japanese Agriculture
Today, Iba boasts over 35 fish species in its farmlands and surrounding natural waterways. In tandem with laws that banned the release of phosphorous and nitrogen, the two main culprits of the red bacterial bloom, efforts made by Iba farmers and others significantly improved Lake Biwa’s water quality.
Photo of Iba by Indiana Jo, File:伊庭内湖景観 10.jpg – Wikimedia Commons
What are the lessons from Iba and Lake Biwa? The recognition of Japanese agriculture’s multifunctional role made effective policy implementation possible, as well as the mobilization of local residents in protecting their cultural heritage.
Not all prefectures are as enthusiastic about satoyama conservation as Shiga. However, amidst the continuing problems of depopulation and the pressure put on Japanese farmers through foreign competition, it is increasingly important that local and national governments in Japan redouble their efforts to address satoyama degradation.