Mega Solar Farm Sparks Backlash Over Deforestation

Oct 03, 2025 | News On Japan

CHIBA, Oct 03, 2025 (News On Japan) - Vast hillsides have been cleared for the construction of a large-scale solar power facility in Kamogawa, Chiba Prefecture, leaving piles of felled trees scattered across the slopes. The development covers approximately 146 hectares, or the size of 32 Tokyo Domes, and involves cutting down about 365,000 trees to make way for 470,000 solar panels.

Citizen groups opposing the project argue that Chiba Prefecture revised its development standards after granting approval in 2019, insisting the plan should be reassessed under the new rules. "All of this is based on the 2019 standards, which means it no longer meets current requirements. That alone should invalidate it," said Kunie Katsumata of the Kamogawa Mountains, Rivers and Sea Protection Association.

Chiba Prefecture has acknowledged that the developer is reviewing the plan and has issued 58 administrative guidance notices to date. These cover a wide range of requirements, including water quality inspections, submission of construction plans, and measures to prevent soil runoff.

Residential areas lie directly below the cleared slopes, raising concerns among locals. "If there’s a landslide, it could be disastrous. I don’t oppose solar power itself, but I do worry about how safety is being ensured," said one nearby resident. Others expressed frustration, claiming that prefectural guidance allows authorities to sidestep responsibility and calling for the project to be halted.

The developer is preparing a temporary storage site for the large volume of timber, while provisional fencing has been ordered to reduce the risk of debris flow until the site is complete. The company has stated on its website that sufficient safety measures are in place following inspections by prefectural officials, but it has offered little direct response to inquiries.

Chiba Prefecture has pledged to continue monitoring the project and providing advice and instructions to ensure the development proceeds appropriately and in compliance with regulations.

Source: FNN

Players to Watch When Japan Faces the Netherlands

Japan's World Cup campaign begins on June 14 when the Samurai Blue face the Netherlands at Dallas Stadium in Texas, a clash that will showcase some of the game's most talented players and pit two ambitious teams against one another in a crucial Group F opener. While Japan arrives without injured winger Kaoru Mitoma, one of its most recognizable stars, the squad still boasts a wealth of talent drawn from Europe's top leagues.

El Nino Returns, But Japan Faces Another Hot Summer

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) announced that an El Niño phenomenon is believed to have developed this spring, warning that Japan is likely to experience above-average temperatures nationwide this summer despite the climate pattern's traditional association with cooler summers.

Narita Airport Advances Compulsory Land Acquisition for Runway

Narita International Airport Corporation is expected to announce next month that it will apply to the national government for project certification as part of the process to enable compulsory land acquisition for the construction of a new runway at Narita Airport, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Fire Destroys Historic Arima Inari Shrine

A fire broke out at Arima Inari Shrine near the Arima Onsen hot spring resort area in Kobe on the night of June 9th, destroying multiple buildings and leaving an elderly Shinto priest and his wife with minor injuries.

Japan National Team Holds First Training Session in Nashville

Japan's national soccer team arrived in Nashville, Tennessee, on June 8th from Monterrey, Mexico, where it had been conducting a pre-World Cup training camp, and held its first practice session at its base camp for the FIFA World Cup in North America.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Sci-Tech NEWS

Diabetes Drug Mounjaro Resold as Weight-Loss Injection Despite Health Risks

Three people in their 20s and 30s living in Osaka Prefecture and other areas were referred to prosecutors on June 2nd for allegedly illegally selling and transferring the type 2 diabetes drug Mounjaro without the required authorization, as concerns grow over the drug's popularity as a weight-loss treatment and the health risks associated with its misuse.

Akita Hot Spring Turns Rice Husks Into Fuel

A hot spring lodging facility in Akita Prefecture has introduced a biomass boiler that uses rice husks and buckwheat hulls as fuel, reducing reliance on expensive kerosene while creating a new use for agricultural waste.

Japan to Replace Up to Five Nuclear Reactors by 2040s

The Japanese government has unveiled a draft target to replace between two and five nuclear reactors by the 2040s, marking the first time numerical goals for nuclear power development have been presented since the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster 15 years ago.

Japan's Rare Earths Island

The video explains how a tiny, remote Japanese island called Minami Torishima (Marcus Island) could become one of the most strategically important locations in the world due to enormous deposits of rare earth elements buried in deep-sea mud beneath the Pacific Ocean.

Fukushima Solar Plant Glare Lasts Up to 53 Minutes, Far Exceeding Forecasts

A large solar power facility built on a mountainside in Fukushima City is generating reflected sunlight for far longer than originally projected, with a city survey finding that glare at some locations lasted up to 53 minutes per day—more than ten times the maximum duration predicted by the operator.

Companies Flock to Japan’s Major Space Business Expo

Japan’s largest space business exhibition opened at Tokyo Big Sight on May 27th, showcasing a growing wave of companies from outside the traditional aerospace sector entering the rapidly expanding space industry.

Shizuoka Enters Final Stage of Linear Shinkansen Debate

JR Tokai held its first-ever resident briefing session in Shizuoka City on May 26th regarding construction of the Linear Chuo Shinkansen, outlining measures for water resource management and environmental conservation as the company seeks to gain local support ahead of the start of construction in Shizuoka Prefecture.

Mysterious Crab Dance Returns to Wakayama Shoreline

A seasonal spectacle has begun on the Miwasaki coast in Shingu, Wakayama Prefecture, where tiny male chigogani crabs are emerging from their burrows at low tide and rhythmically waving their claws in a movement resembling a dance.

< 2 3 4 5 >