Conservation vs. Compensation: Tsurui Village's High-Stakes Land Buyout to Save Kushiro Wetland
On February 26, it was revealed that Tsurui Village in Hokkaido is in the process of acquiring approximately 10 hectares of land from Osaka-based Japan Ecology Co., the developer of a planned mega-solar project near Kushiro Shitsugen (Kushiro Wetland), for 80 million yen. This move is intended to protect the valuable landscape of Kushiro Wetland and the habitat of rare species such as the red-crowned crane. According to village officials, the 80 million yen acquisition cost is expected to break down as approximately 4 million yen for the land itself, with the remaining 76 million yen allocated as compensation for expenses incurred by Japan Ecology for forest clearing and other related activities. The use of donations collected from across the country is being considered for this acquisition. This high acquisition price, particularly the compensation to a company reportedly involved in legal violations, has sparked various reactions. Mountaineer Ken Noguchi expressed concern, feeling th...