TOKYO -- Flood damage is growing in Japan, yet many cities are still promoting development on low-lying land. Although the five-year average of the total area hit by water-related disasters changed little over the 30 years through 2021, the per-hectare damage cost rose by 3.5 times.
For example, an aerial photo of Satte in Saitama prefecture, north of Tokyo, shows an increased number of homes and commercial facilities on farmland near the Tone River. Many of them stand on land deemed at risk of flooding at least 3 meters deep.
