Do you know how Toyogawa (Toyo River) Canal was built? The answer is here: Mr.Juichiro KONDO. He is the initiator who proposed Toyogawa Canal Project.
To know a story further, let's take a close look at how Mr. Juichiro had struggled with promoting the project. This is compiled by the collection of his notes published in April, 1957.
Mr. Juichiro was born as a first son in Takamatsu Village, Atsumi County, Aichi Prefecture, the central Japan. Takamatsu Village was very poor area where people lived on rain-fed agriculture (potato, rice and squash) and fisheries which fairly influenced by climate change.
Mr. Juichiro was enthusically involved in political affairs since he was young. Being actively served as a supporter for candidates, he later became a county assembly member in Atsumi County in 1957, and then he had served as prefectural assembly member and a Diet member successively.
Back to those days, as an assembly member, he embraced big ambition to achieve a large-scale project in Aichi Prefecture: "Toyogawa Canal Project" which is one of the three large-scale projects he suggested. However, his ambition was so unimaginable or unachievable for the other assembly men, so he was called as "person with a big mouth".
What is Mr. Juichiro's ambition?
He envisioned a dam and dam reservoir construction in the Ure River on Mt. Horaij and diversion tunnels construction to increase water resource at the dam reservoir taking water in the "Ure Dam" from upstream of Furikusa and Tenryu Rivers (in Sizuoka Prefecture).
Mr. Juichiro came up with the idea when he visited Java, Indonesia. According to the notes written by Mr. Juichiro, he was so impressed about what he had seen there. He recalled, "On the way I was climbing up to a mountain by train, I saw perfect water canal system in rural areas in Bundung, Java Indonesia. The scenery through the windows reflected my hometown from Utsuezaka to Noda-Ashigaike) where agriculture land project is being carried out" He saw water canal system at which water was pumped up at the crest of mountain from the bottom of mountain stream by a steel pipeline and the pumped water was systematically supplied to terraced paddy fields on the mountain slope. "It inspired me to build a dam and dam reservoir in the Ure River with large capacity of water storage from which the stored water can be released to the Toyo River flowing down to southern part of Aichi Prefecture, while developing irrigation system around Atsumi county and other areas."
As soon as Mr. Juichiro came back to Japan, he proposed the idea to the government and Aichi Prefecture and its assembly members but their response was so disappointed. They turned down saying, "It is fantastic idea as a proposal but it can not be realistic." "Even I am treated as if I were crazy. Despite of the harsh situation, only one officer, Mr. Yokota, director of agriculture land, Aichi prefectural government supported my idea. We are working together to conduct survey for the dam construction in the Ure Dam on Mt. Horaiji and formulate a plan to build a large dam reservoir and develop as a state-run project," wrote in his notes.
Finally, the planning of the project was completed in 1927, however, the project was not submitted until Mr. Juichiro became the House of Representative member in 1932. After that, the proposal had been submitted repeatedly but the project budget was not subsidized by the government and the project faded away even though the importance of dam construction was highly recognized.
From Ambition to Achievements
The proposal was shed on light again when Japan faced serious food shortage after World War II and the demand of agriculture water had been increased. According to his notes, "My dream finally seems to come true. With strong support from other assembly members, we have requested the necessity of implementing project in order to meet growing agricultural water demand. Finally the budget with 400 million yen was allocated as a state-run project"
In the process of the implementation, there were some obstacles in promoting the project due to the government's unhealthy financial conditions. In response to the increased demand for domestic and industrial water, the project was revised to meet water demand in addition to agricultural water. Then, original plan was shifted to multi-purpose and it turned to be a comprehensive Toyogawa Canal Project.
Water supply should be extended to the regions Toyohashi City and Toyogawa and other eastern regions and tunnel construction is needed to intake water from Furukusa and Tenryu rivers which should negotiate with the river administrator (in Shizuoka Prefecture). This project could be delayed if this plan would be complete. However, it can not be avoidable," he said in his note.
Unfortunately, Mr. Juichiro passed away at age of 90 in 1960 without seeing completion of the Toyogawa Canal Project. However, his great achievements will be passed down from generation to generation disseminating his achievements. The copies of his collection of notes was published and distributed nationwide and his bronze stands as hero of the project.
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