Osaka Bay Revitalization Action Plan - Osaka Bay - 2003

Osaka Bay Revitalization Action Plan - Osaka Bay - 2003

From the 1990s through the 2000s, water pollution caused by rising levels of BOD and COD, as well as the occurrence of red tides, became major issues in Osaka Bay. In particular, fish catches declined along the coasts of Sakai City and Kobe City, adversely affecting the cultivation of clams and oysters. In response, the "Osaka Bay Revitalization Promotion Council" was established with the participation of Osaka Prefecture, Hyogo Prefecture, Kansai Electric Power, Sumitomo Chemical, and others, and the Osaka Bay Revitalization Action Plan was launched in 2003. The plan set targets to reduce BOD and COD levels, as well as to cut annual nitrogen and phosphorus emissions by 500 tons and 200 tons, respectively. Additionally, with the goal of restoring 100,000 square meters of eelgrass beds over five years in areas such as off the coast of Kobe and Minato, citizens and businesses are participating in coastal cleanup and tree-planting activities.