Top �� What's up around the Prime Minister �� January, 2004

Prime Minister Visits Teshima, Kagawa Prefecture Thursday, January 8, 2004 Click photographs to enlarge Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi visited Kagawa and Ehime Prefectures and observed the detoxification process of industrial wastes that have been illegally disposed in Teshima in the Seto Inland Sea. Prime Minister Koizumi first visited Teshima in Tonosho-cho, Kagawa Prefecture,�@where he received a warm welcome by the people of Teshima at the pier, and then observed with Mr. Tadao Ando, an architect who is promote to plant olives in the islands of the Seto Inland Sea, the excavation site at the wasteland with over 600,000 tons of illegally disposed industrial waste and the detoxification process of contaminated underground water. Prime Minister Koizumi also received an explanation on the situation of the detoxification processes from Mr. Takeki Manabe, Governor of Kagawa Prefecture. The efforts to resolve the issue of industrial waste processing was started when Prime Minister Koizumi had assumed the position of then-Minister of Health and Welfare (current Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare). With the establishment of the "Law on Special Measures on Industrial Waste" in 2003 which stipulated to eliminate wastelands with illegally disposed industrial waste under the expense of both the central and local governments, Teshima has become the first to be subject to the Law. Prime Minister Koizumi expressed his eagerness to realize a zero waste society and work for environmental protection by saying, "The issue of waste is the most important one for the Koizumi cabinet. I have been concerned on this issue since when I was the Minister of Health and Welfare. The efforts of all of you to reduce waste are important. I would like to support the intention of the people of Teshima in their efforts to bring back the beautiful island." In the afternoon, Prime Minister Koizumi visited Imabari City, Ehime Prefecture and observed the manufacturing process of towels, for which this city is known for accounting for 60% of domestic production. The towels manufactured in Imabari City have received high recognition for its excellent design, not only domestically but internationally, in a strict international competition. Prime Minister Koizumi then observed the current situation of tourism administration in Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture which is working for the revitalization of the city that allows for a comfortable living under the theme of the novel "Saka no Ue no Kumo (Clouds Above the Hill)" by Mr. Ryotaro Shiba.