エコタウン事業の理念と現実(上) : 大牟田エコタウンを事例として(第三部寄稿論文集)

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The purpose of this paper is to describe the realities of an eco town project in Japan, as a case of Omuta in Fukuoka prefecture. Omuta was a coal-minig city of "Mitsui" zaibatsu, and chemical and metal refiningindustries grew from the mining industry. Omuta's economy is in long-term depression because of the decline of the coal mining industry as well as of the manufacturing industries based on the natural resources.Nevertheless, the corporate group of "Mitsui"has dominated not only the economy but also social and political life of Omuta citizens, even after the close of the coal pits in this city in 1997. The eco town project was launched in 1997 both by the Ministry ofIndustry and International Trade (MITI) and the Ministry of Health and Welfare. After the reorganization of the ministries in 2001, this project is carried out now by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Environment jointly. The philosophy of the eco town project is to establish a sound material-cycle society based on the practices of, first of all, reduction of waste, then reuse of the used equipments and tools, and recycling of thewaste material. Until January in 2006, 26 projects were approved by those two ministries. Almost all the projects are characterized by the fostering the so-calledrecycling industries. Omuta Eco Town wasapproved in 1998 as the forth among all the projects. Its main projects is, however, not fostering of recycling industries, but construction and operation of a RDF (refuse derived fuel) power station. The RDF isderived from the household waste not only in Omuta but also in medium- and small-sized towns in Fukuoka and Kumamoto prefectures.Fukuoka prefecture sought to solve dioxin problems at the small-sized incinerators in the medium- and small-sized towns and villages under the direction of the Ministry of health and Welfare. The MITI, which is responsible for the development of new types of power generation which should be independent of oil, and sought to develop a RDF power station. The then mayor of Omuta looked for some new project in order to revive the Omuta's economy. All these thinkings amalgamated into the RDF power station. We can regard it a top-down projectwithin a bureaucratic system of the central and local governments. As a result, the main project of the Omuta Eco Town was carried outwithout the cooperation of citizens, and the"Mitsui" group was cold to it. There happenedaccidents nine times concerning the operation of the RDF power station between its opening in December, 2002, and June in2005. The technology for the recycling of the ash of the burned RDF has not yet been so well developed as expected at the time of decision of construction of the Omuta Eco Town. It is now transported to a cementfactory in Yamaguchi prefecture, more than 100 km far away from Omuta, as like of emergency evacuation. Therefore a part of citizens in Omuta protest the project centered on the RDF power station. Theconflict between the citizens and the municipal authority is not yet resolved.On the other hand, the municipal government has sought to invite venture firms, which are developing recycling industries. Among the several firms located in the site of the Omuta Eco Town, there is a hopeful undertaking such as recycling of paper diaper. But there are also problem enterprises. A number of factors cause the difficulties of the Omuta Eco Town project. They are attributable, among of all, tothe lack of social capital in the meaning of Coleman (1990) and Putnam (1993) among the citizens and the city authority as well as among the citizens and local corporations. The city authority should construct firstof all social capital among the local actors. In order to do this, it should check all the undertakings in the name of Omuta Eco Town continuously in the light of the philosophy of the sound material-cyclesociety．
法政大学の論文
2006-03-03

エコタウン事業の理念と現実(上) : 大牟田エコタウンを事例として(第三部寄稿論文集)

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エコタウン事業の理念と現実(上) : 大牟田エコタウンを事例として(第三部 寄稿論文集)

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エコタウン事業の理念と現実(上) : 大牟田エコタウンを事例として(第三部寄稿論文集)