Hiroshima District Court Suspends the Reclaiming Project of Ponyo's Model Bay

According to 47 News, Hiroshima District Court ordered to suspend Hiroshima Prefecture's project to reclaim Tomonoura bay, which is the model place of Gake no Ue no Ponyo. The chief judge said the scenery of Tomonoura is a public property and the reclaiming project greatly spoils the common welfare of the people. Hiroshima Prefecture and City was planning to reclaim the bay and build a 180 meter long bridge across it.

Miyazaki Hayao visited the bay in 2005 and stayed there for two months. Before the judgment was given, he said in an interview that " I have my own opinion about the issue but I don't want to claim it openly. It's up to the people living there. However, it's a mistaken idea that the reclaiming project can reclaim the loneliness caused by the depopulation and aging."

Sources:
47 News
Yomiuri

Update
Miyazaki held a press conference at Studio Ghibli and praised the judgment. He said "It's quite a sensible judgment pointing out the fault in the project, which destroys the valuable cultural property. I express my respect for the judge's courage."

Source: Sponichi