April 25, 2014

Akahata Sunday edition

In response to repeated demands from local residents and the Japanese Communist Party, the state decided to provide a town with subsidies to take preventive measures against cave-in accidents.

There are a number of abandoned wood coal mines in the northeastern and central regions in Japan. Wood coal or peat is a kind of fossil fuel, which was formed of carbonized trees at the bottom of lakes. To make up for fuel shortages before and after World War II, a lot of wood coal mines were dug in line with national policy. Most of those mines were later abandoned and remain as caves.

In Mitake Town in Gifu Prefecture, central Japan, about 60% of all private houses are built on abandoned wood coal mines. In October 2010, an area of around 3,400 square meters suddenly sank some three meters, damaging six houses. In May 2013, a road in the town also subsided.

Sasaki Sumiko, a 63-year-old woman living in the town, was affected by cave-in accidents in 2007 and in 2009. The northern part of her home sank about 40 centimeters. When she asked the town government to fill in the cave under her home, an official said, “We have no policy for dealing with such a problem.” Sasaki had no choice but to move to a rental housing unit in order to evacuate herself from the dangerous zone. After moving, a subsidence occurred and her house completely collapsed. Following this, the authorities finally filled in the hole.

“The town should have carried out the work a little earlier. I hope I will be the last person affected by such an event,” Sasaki said.

Listening to voices of local residents, JCP member of the prefectural assembly Osuga Shizuka has repeatedly made representations to the national and prefectural administrations, seeking subsidies for backfill projects. JCP parliamentarian Sasaki Kensho investigated the sites in 2010 and demanded that the Industry Ministry implement necessary measures immediately.

State authorities finally decided to cover the entire cost to investigate and backfill the holes. The state will share 90% of the cost and the prefecture 10%. Following that decision, Mitake Town installed a taskforce inside the town government to deal with the abandoned mines.

Osuga said, “In collaboration with the prefecture, I’ll continue to call on the central government to annually include the subsidies in the main budget.” Lawmaker Sasaki stated, “I’ll urge the government to cope with all abandoned wood coal mines across the country.”