A Comparison of Social Process for Wind Farm Construction: The Case of Jeju Island and Hokkaido

As an alternative energy source for nuclear power and fossil fuels wind power is increasingly considered among the most promising energy sources in the twenty first century. Accordingly, many of nation states have shown a great interest in promoting wind energy. However, when wind farm construction project is proposed involving local places, different interpretations, values, and meanings are expressed for wind farm construction by local people. Therefore the rejection and approval of wind farm construction in local places are based at different logics depending upon specific context of local situations.

In this paper we present two case studies for successful wind farm construction projects in South Korea and Japan. Our observation was made for Jeju island province, located at southernmost part of Korean peninsula and Hokkaido prefecture, the island located at northernmost part of the Japanese Archipelago. In order to collect information as to locally involved process, we have interviewed leaders of local communities and NPOs from the winter of 2012. In this paper we demonstrate that wind energy can mean different things to local people than anti-nuclear and mitigation measure of climate change. The local people accept or reject the construction plan and its operation according to their economic situation and social, historical contexts.