Urban Water in Japan

The relation between the Dutch and the Japanese has been a productive one for over more then 400 years. It started with a trade around 1600 and became more intimate in 1641 when the Netherlands became the sole trade partners for over 300 years. After Japan opened up to the world during the Meiji restoration in which Japan was modernized, Dutch water experts were invited to work on river management and polders. Till today the Dutch and the Japanese have a special relationship and a great shared interest: urban water management. Especially now with the climate change and continuing urbanization they rely a lot on each other. It is interesting to bring the expertise together in this publication because the Japanese approach and boldness - the Dutch used to have - is an great example for the Dutch (and international) world of urban water management. Japan and the Netherlands both are situated in low-lying deltas. In the Netherlands half of the population and more than half of the invested capital are concentrated in an area under the sea level. Also in Japan, half of the population and even 75 percent of the property in the country are concentrated areas that are vulnerable for flooding. These areas only account for 10 percent of the total land area of the country. Therefore the urgency to implement innovative urban water management measures and management practices is high. In Japan in particular, source control, participation of stakeholders, and amenities in urban water management is well developed. The Netherlands is often acknowledged as a leading county in the integration of water and spatial planning. Therefore, a book written on the Japanese practice from the Dutch perspective provides new insights on how to realize climate robust sustainable urban water system.Hooimeijer, Fransje is the author of 'Urban Water in Japan', published 2008 under ISBN 9780415453608 and ISBN 0415453607.