Kushiro wetlands megasolar issue

Since 2012, several solar facilities have been constructed in the area around Kushiro-shitsugen National Park in Japan, which the locals call a "sea of megasolar farms" (メガソーラーの海, Megasōrā no Umi).[1][2] Several environmental groups and residents have expressed concern about the facilities' environmental impact on local wildlife.[3][4][5]

Background

Kushiro-shitsugen National Park is a national park located in Kushiro, Hokkaido, and is the largest wetland in Japan. It was the first place in Japan to be registered at the Ramsar Convention as a critical wetland in the 1980s. It is home to over 2,000 species of plants and animals, including the endangered red-crowned cranes and Siberian salamander, which is a registered natural monument (a species with "high scientific value to Japan" according to the Cultural Property Act of Japan) of Kushiro and is listed on the Ministry of the Environment's red list, which is a list of endangered species in Japan.[6][7][1][8]: 1 

Kushiro-shitsugen was identified as a site for potential development in the 1972 book Nippon-Rettō Kaizō-ron by Kakuei Tanaka, which sparked a debate on the future of the land, and led to the establishment of the national park.[9]: 1 

History

In 2012, the Japanese government implemented a feed-in tariff (FIT) system, which allowed electric power companies to purchase electricity generated from renewable energy sources at a price set by the government. During that time, 1 kilowatt-hour was equal to ¥42 (2012) (US$0.53). This initiative increased the number of megasolar operators in the area, which is considered to be an ideal environment for solar development because of its wide, flat land, long hours of sunshine, and close proximity to an urban area.[8]: 3  Although the area is designated as a "non-urbanization zone", which prohibits erecting buildings around Kushiro-shitsugen National Park, the Building Standards Law does not consider solar panels to be "buildings", so their construction is permitted.[2]

The number of megasolar power plants in the area has increased from only one plant in June 2014 to 27 plants by October 2024.[8]: 2  By September 2023, the total number of solar power plants installed in the Kushiro Wetlands reached 301, up from only 50 a decade earlier.[2]

In December 2024, the Osaka-based energy company Japan Ecology announced plans to build a 27.3 hectares (67 acres) megasolar facility within the city limits of Kushiro.[10] The proposed facilities would be spread across 17 locations within the city and would comprised of approximately 6,600 solar panels.[11][12] In a meeting with residents in February 2025, the company said that there were no white-tailed eagle nests on the proposed site. However, on March 20, Mainichi Shimbun reported that there were multiple nests at the site. In response, the Kushiro city government issued a notice prohibiting entry to the site until the end of May; Japan Ecology then halted construction of the facility near the nests.[10] A survey of the development site conducted by the Northern Environment Research Institute on May 22 revealed that two Siberian salamander larvae were living at the site.[12]

According to an NHK investigation in July 2025, the four municipalities in the wetland have megasolar plants. There are 30 plants in Kushiro City, six in Kushiro town, and two in both Shibecha and Tsurui.[13]

On September 12, 2025, the president of Japan Ecology, Masanori Matsui, temporarily suspended the construction of the megasolar facility in Kushiro for one to one and a half months to discuss the future of the construction.[14][15]

Reaction and response

Residents and environmental groups

Many environmental groups and local citizens have expressed concerns about the growing number of megasolar power plants in the wetlands.[9]: 1 [16] On March 17, 2023, nine environmental groups, including the Kushiro Wetland Nature Regeneration Council and the Nature Conservation Society of Kushiro, submitted a request to the city government of Kushiro asking for measures to be taken against the growing number of megasolar facilities in the Kushiro wetlands.[17]: 1  On May 9, 2025, six groups, including the Nature Conservation Society of Kushiro, presented Kushiro Mayor Hidenori Tsuruma with a 67,000-signature petition calling for a halt to construction of the Japan Ecology facility.[10]

Government

The Kushiro city government established guidelines for the installation of new solar panels in 2023.[18] Since his election in October 2024, Kushiro Mayor Hidenori Tsuruma has been in favor of restricting development in the Kushiro wetlands, along with 20 of the 24 members of the city assembly. The assembly plans to create an ordinance to allow them to approve or deny construction in the area.[10] On May 30, 2025, Tsuruma issued a "No More Megasolar" declaration (ノーモア　メガソーラー宣言, Nō Moa Megasōrā Sengen) stating that he does not want any further construction in the area.[19][16]

On September 5, 2025, Hokkaido governor Naomichi Suzuki recommended that Japan Ecology stop construction and questioned the company for proceeding without obtaining permission, as is required by the Forestry Act.[20] He also announced an investigation into the approximately 1,200 alleged illegal forest clearings reported in the area to allow for megasolar construction.[21]

On September 9, Liberal Democratic Party members in the National Diet, along with the Minister of the Environment Keiichiro Asao, visited and inspected the site. They said they want to balance the utilization of renewable energy with environmental protection through legal reform.[22][23] On the same day, the Ministry of the Environment announced that it would establish a framework to curb the inappropriate construction of solar power facilities in the Kushiro wetlands.[24] On September 11, officials from the Ministry of the Environment visited Shibecha (a town in the Kushiro wetlands), and Mayor Yoshihiko Sato requested for regulations regarding development in the Kushiro wetlands to be established.[13]

Other personalities

On August 18, rock star Masanori Sera expressed his concern for the construction of the megasolar farms, stating on his X post, "How is this environmentally friendly? The situation is now irreversible." (どこが地球環境に優しいのか　もう取り返しのつかない状況).[25] On September 10, Tomoka Igari, a member of the Japanese idol group Kamen Joshi, expressed her concern stating that "the megasolar construction in the area is a violation" and "should be stopped immediately".[26] On September 14, Yūta Misaki, a Sapporo businessman, criticized the government response to the issue of megasolar plants in Tsurui, Hokkaido. He called for the government to "take responsibility in protecting nature".[27]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Kushiroshitsugen kokuritsu kōen no tonari ni "megasōrā no umi" kankyō hozen e no mosaku" 釧路湿原国立公園の隣に「メガソーラーの海」 環境保全への模索 ["megasolar Sea" next to Kushiro Marsh National Park: Seeking environmental conservation]. The Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). November 20, 2024. Retrieved September 5, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c "In Hokkaido, 'sea of megasolar farms' threatens protected park". The Asahi Shimbun. January 12, 2025. Retrieved September 9, 2025.
  3. ^ "Kiriuri sa reta shitsugen mamotta no ni… kondo wa sōrāpaneru no umi?" 切り売りされた湿原　守ったのに…今度はソーラーパネルの海? [We protected the marshland that was sold off piece by piece... but now it's a sea of solar panels?]. Mainichi Shimbun. December 22, 2022. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  4. ^ Otake, Tomoko (May 26, 2024). "'Megasolar' is a dirty word in Japan. Where do solar projects go from here?". The Japan Times. Retrieved September 9, 2025.
  5. ^ "Kushiro-shitsugen mega sōrā, hokkaidō ga chūshi kankoku ichi-bu kensetsu kōji ni" 釧路湿原メガソーラー、北海道が中止勧告 一部建設工事に [Hokkaido issues suspension order for Kushiro Wetlands megasolar project]. The Nikkei (in Japanese). September 2, 2025. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  6. ^ "Monuments". Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  7. ^ Nakahama, Naoyuki (June 20, 2023). "Reddo risuto to wa? Teigi ya IUCN Kankyōshō no risuto no tokuchō o shōsai kaisetsu" レッドリストとは？定義やIUCN・環境省のリストの特徴を詳細解説 [What is the Red List? A detailed explanation of the definition and characteristics of the IUCN and Ministry of the Environment lists]. The Asahi Shimbun. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  8. ^ a b c Masayoshi, Katayama (October 20, 2024). "Ichi no shokuin wa "haaku shi kirenai kazudesu" to potsuri…! Tomaranai "megasōrā kaihatsu", gaishikeikigyō ga Kushiro ni muragaru "ura jijō"" 市の職員は「把握しきれない数です」とポツリ…！止まらない「メガソーラー開発」、外資系企業が釧路に群がる「裏事情」 [A city official said, "It's a number we can't even grasp." The "inside story" behind the unstoppable "megasolar development" and foreign companies flocking to Kushiro]. Shūkan Gendai Online (in Japanese). Retrieved September 5, 2025.
  9. ^ a b "Kushiroshitsugen no tairyō megasōrā ni tochi kaitori de taikō" 釧路湿原の大量メガソーラーに土地買取で対抗 [Competing with the large-scale megasolar power plant in the Kushiro wetlands by purchasing land]. Weekly Toyo Keizai (in Japanese). June 24, 2024. Retrieved September 5, 2025.
  10. ^ a b c d Johnston, Eric (May 26, 2025). "Eagle nest discovery sparks opposition to megasolar project". The Japan Times. Retrieved September 9, 2025.
  11. ^ "[Kushiroshitsugen shūhen megasōrā kensetsu keikaku ni aratana ugoki] shinrin-hō ihan ga hakkaku shita Ōsaka no "Nihon ekorojī" shachō ga tandoku shuzai ni ōji "kōji o ichiji chūdan suru hōshin… teishi kikan wa ōmune 1-kagetsu kara 1-kagetsu han o meyasu" to akasu" 【釧路湿原周辺メガソーラー建設計画に新たな動き】森林法違反が発覚した大阪の『日本エコロジー』社長が単独取材に応じ「工事を一時中断する方針…停止期間は概ね1か月から1か月半を目安」と明かす [[New developments in the megasolar power plant construction plan around the Kushiro wetlands] The president of Osaka-based Nippon Ecology, which was found to have violated the Forestry Act, revealed in an exclusive interview that "We plan to temporarily suspend construction...the suspension period is expected to be approximately one to one and a half months."]. Hokkaido News. Yahoo! News Japan. September 12, 2025. Retrieved September 12, 2025.
  12. ^ a b "Kushiro megasōrā keikaku-chi de "kitasanshouuo" kakunin-shi ten'nenkinenbutsu" 釧路メガソーラー計画地で「キタサンショウウオ」確認 市天然記念物 [Siberian salamander spotted at Kushiro mega solar project site, city natural monument]. Mainichi Shimbun (in Japanese). September 12, 2025. Retrieved September 12, 2025.
  13. ^ a b "Kushiroshitsugen shūhen megasōrā kensetsu shibechamachi ga kankyōshō ni hō seibi o yōbō" 釧路湿原周辺メガソーラー建設 標茶町が環境省に法整備を要望 [Shibecha Town requests Ministry of the Environment to establish legislation for megasolar power plant construction near the Kushiro wetlands]. NHK (in Japanese). September 11, 2025. Retrieved September 12, 2025.
  14. ^ "[Kushiroshitsugen megasōrā mondai] kensetsu susumeru jigyō kaisha toppu ga shuzai ni meigen "kōji o ichiji teishi" 1-kagetsu kara 1-kagetsu han no kikan… kankei kikan to kyōgi o okonai tsuika taisaku 3-kai-me to naru "tanchō" no chōsa mo jisshi" 【釧路湿原メガソーラー問題】建設進める事業会社トップが取材に明言「工事を一時停止」1か月から1か月半の期間…関係機関と協議を行い追加対策 3回目となる"タンチョウ"の調査も実施 [[Kushiro Wetlands Mega Solar Project Issue] The head of the construction company stated in an interview that construction would be temporarily suspended for one to one and a half months. Additional measures will be taken in consultation with relevant organizations, and a third survey of red-crowned cranes will also be conducted.]. Hokkaido News. Yahoo! News Japan. September 12, 2025. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
  15. ^ "Kushiroshitsugen shūhen no megasōrā keikaku de jigyō-sha ga 1-kagetsu hodo kōji chūdan e kishō dōbutsu e no hogo taisaku o tsuika kentō" 釧路湿原周辺のメガソーラー計画で事業者が１か月ほど工事中断へ　希少動物への保護対策を追加検討 [Project developer suspends construction of mega-solar plant near Kushiro Wetlands for about a month; additional measures to protect rare animals under consideration]. Hokkaido Broadcasting Company. Yahoo! News Japan. September 12, 2025. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
  16. ^ a b "Kushiro-shi ga "nōmoa megasōrā sengen'"" setchi kisei e jōrei seitei mo" 釧路市が「ノーモア メガソーラー宣言」設置規制へ条例制定も [Kushiro City declares "No More megasolar Power Plants" and may enact ordinances to regulate their installation]. NHK (in Japanese). June 4, 2025. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  17. ^ Kono, Hiroko (June 2, 2023). "Hokkaidō "Kushiroshitsugen" shinshoku suru sōrāpaneru no shinkoku" 北海道｢釧路湿原｣侵食するソーラーパネルの深刻 [The serious problem of solar panels encroaching on Hokkaido's Kushiro Wetlands]. Weekly Toyo Keizai (in Japanese). Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  18. ^ Kogen, Seiichi (December 13, 2024). "Kushiroshitsugen ni taiyōhikarihatsuden no paneru-gun nattoku iku kotae ga deru ka chūshi shitai" 釧路湿原に太陽光発電のパネル群 納得いく答えが出るか注視したい [Solar panels to be installed in Kushiro Marsh: We'll be watching closely to see if a satisfactory answer emerges]. The Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  19. ^ "Kushiro-shi "nōmoa megasōrā sengen" e shichō "koreijō wa"" 釧路市「ノーモア メガソーラー宣言」へ 市長「これ以上は」 [Kushiro City to declare "No more megasolar power plants" - Mayor says "No more!"]. Mainichi Shimbun (in Japanese). May 31, 2025. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  20. ^ "Hokkaidō chiji "shidō shitagawanakereba chūshi meire" Kushiro-shi no megasōrā-meguri" 北海道知事「指導従わなければ中止命令」 釧路市のメガソーラー巡り [Hokkaido Governor: "If you don't follow the instructions, we'll order you to stop the tour of the megasolar power plant in Kushiro City"]. The Nikkei (in Japanese). September 5, 2025. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  21. ^ "Megasōrā kensetsu de shinrin-hō ihan no hakkaku uke… kako 3-nenkan no shinrin bassai todoke yaku 1200-ken o chōsa hokkaidō" メガソーラー建設で森林法違反の発覚うけ…過去３年間の森林伐採届け約１２００件を調査 北海道（STVニュース北海道） [Hokkaido investigates 1,200 forest logging reports from the past three years after megasolar power plant construction violations were discovered]. STV News (in Japanese). Yahoo! News Japan. September 5, 2025. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  22. ^ "Kushiroshitsugen shūhen de no megasōrā kensetsu keikaku jigyō-sha wa kensetsu zokkō no kangae Jimintō kokkai giin ya kankei shōchō no shokuin-ra ga genchi shisatsu jichitai ya shūhen no seitaikei ni kuwashī senmonka kara iken chōshu" 釧路湿原周辺でのメガソーラー建設計画 事業者は建設続行の考え 自民党国会議員や関係省庁の職員らが現地視察 自治体や周辺の生態系に詳しい専門家から意見聴取 [The operator of the megasolar power plant near the Kushiro setlands plans to continue construction. LDP Diet members and officials from related ministries and agencies inspected the site and heard opinions from local governments and experts familiar with the surrounding ecosystem.]. TBS News (in Japanese). September 9, 2025. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  23. ^ "Kushiroshitsugen shūhen megasōrā Jimin giin renmei-hō kaisei o fukume kentō e" 釧路湿原周辺メガソーラー 自民議員連盟 法改正を含め検討へ [LDP Diet Members' League to consider legal reform for megasolar power plant near the Kushiro wetlands]. NHK (in Japanese). September 9, 2025. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  24. ^ "Kushiroshitsugen megasōrā kensetsu aitsugi taiō kentō no wakugumi o kankyōshō" 釧路湿原 メガソーラー建設相次ぎ対応検討の枠組みを 環境省 [Ministry of the Environment to consider framework for response to successive megasolar power plant construction in the Kushiro wetlands]. NHK (in Japanese). September 9, 2025. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  25. ^ "Sera masanori, Kushiroshitsugen no megasōrā kensetsu mondai ni shiken "mō torikaeshinotsukanai jōkyō"" 世良公則、釧路湿原のメガソーラー建設問題に私見「もう取り返しのつかない状況」 [Kiminori Sera's personal opinion on the construction of a mega solar power plant in the Kushiro wetlands: "The situation is now irreversible"]. Nikkan Sports. August 18, 2025. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
  26. ^ "Megasōrā kensetsukaisha no "iibun" ni aidoru ga pishari "ihan shite iru nodesukara" "sokkoku chūshi"" メガソーラー建設会社の"言い分"にアイドルがピシャリ「違反しているのですから」「即刻中止」 [Idol slams megasolar construction company's "argument": "It's a violation" and "It should be stopped immediately"]. Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). September 12, 2025. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
  27. ^ "Misaki Yūta-shi, mega sōrā kensetsu mondai de no kuni no taiō o hihan "nande chīsana mura ni koko made… "" 三崎優太氏、メガソーラー建設問題での国の対応を批判「なんで小さな村にここまで…」 [Yuta Misaki criticizes the government's response to the megasolar power plant construction issue, saying, "Why is this happening in a small village?"]. Sanspo. September 14, 2025. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
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