Land minister Seiji Maehara paid a visit Sept. 23 to the proposed site of the Yamba Dam in Gunma Prefecture as the new government prepared to scrap what is widely perceived as a wasteful public-works project, despite strong opposition from local residents.

The land, infrastructure, transport and tourism minister went to the banks of the Agatsuma River, an upstream tributary of the Tone River that flows through the Kanto region surrounding Tokyo, to view the planned spot for the dam. Preparation work has begun, but actual construction work has not. He also visited a relocation site for residents of areas that would be submerged.

But his attempt to soothe opponents hit a snag when those most seriously affected decided to boycott the meeting with him after Maehara refused their request to first withdraw the scrapping of the 57-year-old project to start a fresh exchange of opinions with a clean slate.