HIGHWAY MEDIATION IN JAPAN: Its Prospects and Pitfalls by

In Japan, disputes over highway projects from residents are now drawing more attention than ever. However, these disputes are rarely resolved through conventional processes using the decide-announce-defend approach. In many cases, dissatisfied opponents try to impede their implementation through litigation and physical obstruction. In the United States, oppositions against interstate highway projects started in late 1960s. Political actions and environmental legislation enabled urban residents and environmentalists to stop highway projects. In response, consensual approaches to resolving public disputes, including mediation and consensus building, were developed. They are intended to resolve or forestall disputes with an assistance of non-partisan professionals under informal settings. Since mid-70s, they have been successfully applied to resolving disputes over and making decisions on highway projects. However, informal negotiation among various stakeholders has not yet been used in highway disputes in Japan. A thought experiment was conducted to identify prospects and pitfalls to identify problems in using the consensual approach in Japan. It crystallized four major concerns of Japanese highway professionals. Following the thought experiment, the author proposes five strategies to promote the consensual approach in planning highways in Japan. Thesis Supervisor: Lawrence E. Susskind Title: Ford Professor of Urban and Environmental Planning