Japan Eyes Remote Island Revitalization Measures

Tokyo, Jan. 11 (Jiji Press)--Japan is to consider new measures to
revitalize its isolated islands before a related law expires in March 2013,
informed sources told Jiji Press Tuesday.
The government may seek to extend the current 10-year law by making
some revisions or devise a new temporary law that will allow the state to
increase its support for out-of-the-way islands, the sources said.
It is urgently necessary to stop those islands' populations from
falling further and secure air routes to the mainland, they said.
The government has also grown wary of security of islands in border
zones particularly since a Chinese trawler that was illegally operating in
Japanese waters near the disputed East China Sea islands of Senkaku bumped
against Japan Coast Guard ships to run last September, an incident that
raised tensions between Japan and China over sovereignty over the islands,
called Diaoyu in China.
By taking the island revitalization steps, Japan wants to better
protect its territory as well as natural resources and other interests
within its waters, the sources said.
A National Land Council panel will analyze the current situation on
such remote islands. The council advises the land minister.
The ruling Democratic Party of Japan will hold discussions on new
measures through a party project team on island development. Some party
members call for a fresh legislation to allow the country to fully cope with
a drastic change in the environment surrounding those islands, the sources
said.
The DPJ will propose talks with the opposition as early as in the
autumn on the matter, they added.
In addition to enhancing border security measures, government will
consider introducing new financial support through tax reform, including
incentives for companies to build manufacturing bases on remote islands,
according to the sources.
Other measures that are likely to be considered include an easing
of rules to determine which islands are eligible for state support.
Under the existing law, 258 islands were designated eligible for
special support as of April 2010. This includes preferential tax treatment
and additional financial aid for local public works projects.
The government expects to increase the number of eligible islands
by 112, the sources said.
The law has been extended every 10 years since it was first enacted
in 1953.
Japan consists of 6,852 islands. Of them, 6,847, or all except the
five major islands of Honshu, Hokkaido, Shikoku, Kyushu and Okinawa, are
defined as isolated. Some 421 islands are inhabited.