Japanese governmental agencies and corporations have been securing resources abroad and supporting infrastructure development in the name of “development” for developing countries. However, this “development” is causing irreversible destruction of local ecosystems and the lives of local residents. In some cases, people who are trying to prevent this from happening are faced with serious human rights violations such as violence and intimidation by the state and large corporations.
For local residents to build their own future, we aim to create a society in which decisions are made in line with their needs in an appropriate and democratic process. This will allow them to make decisions freely and minimize environmental and social impact. In order to achieve that, we monitor large-scale development projects in Japan and abroad and make policy proposals based on the voices of people on the ground.