ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews a case study approach, the responses to water use conflicts that have emerged as a consequence of increased water use in Japan’s metropolises. Japan is blessed with rich water resources, with an average annual precipitation of about 1,800 mm. Urban domestic and industrial water demands in Japan grew at a phenomenal rate from rapid economic growth during the postwar period. Domestic water demands in the metropolises have continued to increase because of changes in lifestyle, coupled with rapid proliferation of the tertiary sector. Water use in the river basin has stabilized due to the slower growth of the regional economy, together with the widespread adoption of water-saving technologies. In terms of water use, the irrigation systems developed in the midstream of Yahagi were so extensive that almost the entire base flow of the main course of Yahagi was taken for agricultural use.
