In the Arakawa-Karyu Office in the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, we administer the 30-kilometer-long downstream part of Arakawa River which goes through Tokyo and Saitama. (“Administer” here means not only maintenance and repair or approval and licensing, but also risk management for development, construction and in time of disaster.) Trying to prevent floods and the damage caused by high tide water, appropriate use of the river, and improvement and security of the river environment, we oversee Arakawa comprehensively. To control Arakawa adequately, we contribute to national land conservation; keeping up public safety and enhancing the welfare of the public is our office’s role.

Arakawa River is an extremely important social foundation both for national land conservation and for the nation's economy, as well as being a precious asset to the local area. To make Arakawa a better place, we think it’s important to discuss as many of your ideas as we can. Herein we outline in seven points some of the measures we are taking and policies we are enacting at the Arakawa-Karyu River Office.