Wakayama Marine City project in Wakanoura Bay—Utilization of the coastal zone through construction of artificial island

Wakayama Prefecture, located in the southwestern part of Kii Peninsula of Japan Proper, is backed by the Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe District. Kown from the ancient times by the name of Kinokuni (Province of Kii), the prefecture is occupied for the most part by mountains and has a limited plain land area, but flatland predominates in the Kinokawa River basin. In the central part of Wakayama-Shimotsu Port situated at the mouth of the river lies Wakanoura Bay opened westward and stretching about 4.5 km north to south and east to west, respectively. The bay is blessed with good natural coasts and beaches presenting varied picturesque scenery. The well-developed coasts provide fishery ports, man-made beaches, tourist inns, sea side promenades and other amenities for the tourist public. The bay and its surrounding area, which used to be a favorite locality for poets of the Nara and Heian eras, abounds in spots of histrical and cultural interest. And in the area, one can find traditional Japanese industries, such as lacquerware and umbrellas, and a variety of marine sports or recreational activities. Thus the area is full of tourist attractions and offers great possibilities as a marine resort. The Wakayama Prefecutral Government's Long-range Development Plan designates development of Wakanoura bay as marine recreation resort. The plan expects that the value of the environment and resources of the bay area will be further enhanced as a result of the inauguration of the Kansai International Airport, scheduled for opening in 1993, and will assist development of the Wakanoura Bay area to cope with the growing needs for cultural and human communication and meet the requirements of the resort age. Against this background, the Wakayama Marina City project has been planned for the Wakanoura Bay area to create an international urban resort complex.