is a dam

Dam

A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...

 project that is under construction in Naganohara

Naganohara, Gunma

is a town located in Agatsuma District, Gunma, Japan.As of September 1, 2007, the town has an estimated population of 6,361 and a density of 47.50 persons per km². The total area is 133.93 km².-Geography:...

, Agatsuma District

Agatsuma District, Gunma

is a district located in Gunma Prefecture, Japan.As of July 1, 2011, the district has an estimated population of 60,253 and a population density of 47.1 persons per km²...

, Gunma Prefecture

Gunma Prefecture

is a prefecture of Japan located in the northwest corner of the Kantō region on Honshu island. Its capital is Maebashi.- History :The remains of a Paleolithic man were found at Iwajuku, Gunma Prefecture, in the early 20th century and there is a public museum there.Japan was without horses until...

, Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

. The project is currently frozen pending further action by the government. Planning for the dam began in 1947, and it was planned to be completed by 2015. The dam's construction has seen sustained local opposition and a ballooning budget.

In September 2009, the Democratic Party of Japan

Democratic Party of Japan

The is a political party in Japan founded in 1998 by the merger of several opposition parties. Its socially liberal platform is generally considered center-left in the Japanese political spectrum...

 (DPJ) announced the cancellation of the dam construction, keeping to their campaign promise for the 2009 general election

Japanese general election, 2009

A general election in Japan was held on August 30, 2009, for all 480 seats of the House of Representatives of Japan, the lower house of the Diet of Japan....

. However, discussions with local residents and leaders are still ongoing, and relocation of residents who would be affected by the dam continues.