LAND RECLAMATION

closed

The Mechanical Land Reclamation Project for Japan will introduce large-scale land reclamation to the country using modern machinery. In particular, reclamation will target three areas: Kamikita in northern Honshu, Konsen in eastern Hokkaido, and Shinotsu in the Ishikari Valley of western Hokkaido. The borrower will be the Agricultural Land Development Machinery Public Corporation, and this report finds that it is a suitable borrower. The project consists of four components: a) using modern machinery to clear, plow, and harrow approximately 5,000 hectares of unused or partially used land located in Kamikita through the operations of a tractor pool; b) preparing for farming approximately 5,000 hectares in Konsen with a tractor pool; c) assisting the Hokkaido Development Bureau to drain, irrigate, and top-dress approximately 100,000 hectares of peatland in Shinotsu through the lease of machinery to the Bureau; and d) importing approximately 5,000 head of dairy cattle for sale to prefectural governments. Components a) and b) are self-contained pilot operations designed to demonstrate the merits of modern mechanical land reclamation methods. Component c) is concerned with a larger and more complicated land development program on which work was begun in 1951 and is now about half completed. Component d) is necessary for the economic use of much of the land that has been or will be reclaimed. This report finds that the project is carefully planned and its execution is in capable hands. The modern machinery selected is appropriate for the project, and the project forms a suitable basis for a Bank loan.