River Law (Japan)

The River Law (Japanese: 河川法, Hepburn: Kasen Hō, Act No. 167 of July 10, 1964) is a law that designates important rivers that are related to the preservation of Japan's national land and public interests, and provides for their management, flood control, and use.[1]

River Law
Territorial extentJapan
EnactedJuly 10th, 1964
Summary
Classifies rivers in Japan
Status: Current legislation

Outline

In the current River Law, a water system is the basic unit for rivers subject to the law. Water systems are divided into first- and second-class water systems. Rivers included in a first-class system are called first-class rivers, and rivers included in a second-class system are called second-class rivers.[1]

Lakes and swamps are also often considered to be part of the water system, with Lake Biwa (Yodo River system) and Kasumigaura (Tone River system) being typical examples. Rivers in inland prefectures that do not border the sea are usually classified as first-class rivers, with the exception of Lake Motosu, Lake Seishin, and Lake Nishi in Yamanashi Prefecture, which are treated as second-class rivers because they do not belong to any water system. The Choshi River system in Mie Prefecture, and the Hioki and Hidaka river systems in Wakayama Prefecture are second-class rivers, although their basins straddle inland Nara Prefecture.

Rivers that are not subject to the River Law are called ordinary rivers.[1]

Composition
  • Chapter 1 General Provisions (Article 1 - Article 8)
  • Chapter 2 Management of Rivers
    • Section 1 General Provisions (Article 9 to Article 15)
    • Section 2 River Works, etc. (Article 16 to 22–2)
    • Section 3 Use of Rivers and Regulations Concerning Rivers
      • Subsection 1 General Rules (Article 23 to Article 37)
      • Subsection 2 Water Use Coordination (Article 38 to Article 43)
      • Subsection 3 Special Provisions Concerning Dams (Articles 44 to 51)
      • Subsection 4 Emergency Measures (Articles 52 to 53–2)
    • Section 4 River Conservation Areas (Article 54 and Article 55)
    • Section 5 Planned Riverine Areas (Article 56 to Article 58)
  • Chapter 2-2 Riverine Multilevel Area (Article 58–2 to Article 58–7)
  • Chapter 3 Costs Related to Rivers (Article 59 to Article 74)
  • Chapter 4 Supervision (Article 75 to Article 79–2)
  • Chapter 5 Study and Deliberation, etc. by the Social Infrastructure Development Council and Prefectural River Councils (Article 80 to Article 86)
  • Chapter 6 Miscellaneous Provisions (Article 87 to Article 101)
  • Chapter 7 Penal Provisions (Article 102 to Article 109)
  • Supplementary Provisions

References
  1. 神奈川県. "河川法". 神奈川県 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2021-10-13.
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