Lake Biwa: Have sustainable development objectives been met?

The need to control and manage the effects of urban, industrial and agricultural development on Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake, led to the formation of the Lake Biwa Comprehensive Development Project (LBCDP). This article describes the nature and effects of the development, how the LBCDP was conceptualized, implemented and managed, and comments on its effectiveness. Although the basic objective of the project was to promote development of the Keihanshin region by providing additional water, other important objectives included the conservation of the natural environment, the promotion of public welfare, and the restoration of water quality. To achieve objectives on a sustainable basis, extensive political, legislative, social, technological and environmental matters needed comprehensive consideration. This article considers such matters in detail.