Environment Tokyo government to cut thousands of old trees for Mitsui Fudosan's Jingu Gaien project

• the relocation of the Meiji Jingu stadium
• the relocation of the Chichibunomiya Rugby stadium
• the felling of 971 trees, some of which are over 100 years old
• the construction of a 190-metre tall skyscraper
• the construction of a shopping mall (!) and other commercial facilities

Governor Koike emphasized that "the key is to gain the sympathy and participation of the citizens of Tokyo."

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Petaris said:

I'm curious, are shopping malls still a popular place to go in Japan? They are dying off in the US as more people shop online. I have been to shopping malls in Japan, and the last time I was there I noticed that most of the people there were older and likely in a group that would not generally shop online. There also weren't that many people there at all, though I didn't notice any empty store fronts like you would see at a mall in the US. Some in the US have more empty store fronts then open stores.

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mdchachi said:

Keep in mind there are about 25 million people in that region so I don't think it will get to the state of desolation like you see in the U.S. I haven't been to rural Japan in a while so I don't know the situation there.

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A computer graphic simulation has been created showing the planned Jingu Gaien redevelopment from various angles. Makes it clear what a monstrosity it is, and how out of scale and out of place it is. Worth checking out.

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The report included a new plan to reduce the number of trees to be felled in the district from 971 to 556. When the initial plan was submitted, the Japan ICOMOS National Committee, an advisory body of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, called for an urgent overhaul of the project that would have felled about 70 percent of the trees in one of the few areas with greenery in the capital. After the initial plan was made public, members of the metropolitan government's environmental assessment council asked the developers to present an explanation for the number of trees to be cut down. That was an unusual move that delayed the schedule of deliberations by the council.

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A talk with Rochelle Kopp, moderated by Robert Dujarric (November 28th, 2022) The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has given the go-ahead for a major redevelopment of Jingu Gaien, the cluster of sports facilities and green space adjacent to the National Stadium in Sendagaya. The project has recently become a focus of attention in Tokyo, with many people from across the political spectrum speaking out with concerns about the project. The redevelopment plan is made possible by a loosening of height restrictions in the area that was implemented in conjunction with the Olympics, and former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori was involved in conceptualization of the plan. The redevelopment will eliminate nearly a thousand trees, two historic stadiums and several public sports facilities, and put in three high rise office buildings. In this presentation activist Rochelle Kopp will describe the various concerns and issues related to the Jingu Gaien redevelopment project and how she and some other activists and academics are speaking out against the plan and urging that Governor Koike withdraw it and start over with input from the public and experts.

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On January 30th, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government approved the developers' application to start construction. Despite the fact that the Environmental Assessment Committee is continuing its deliberations in the face of various unresolved problems with the environmental assessment. These include lack of a clear assurance that the construction of the baseball stadium just a few meters away will not kill the iconic gingko trees, increased noise for residents of a nearby Tokyo public apartment complex due to the new siting of the baseball stadium, and a 48 page analysis by Professor Ishikawa on behalf of the UNESCO affiliated International Council on Monuments and Sites showing significant flaws in the data used by the developers to create the environmental assessment report.

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As usual, Koike's answers were slippery and either outright incorrect or twisting the facts. In several cases, she used the Trump-like strategy of giving a simple answer, such as "the amount of greenery is increasing!", which is not actually true if you look at the details, but the simpler answer sticks in people's minds better than the more complicated actuality. I appreciate that the moderator followed up and asked harder questions. I hope that at some point there will be an opportunity to force her to answer even more detailed questions about the Jingu Gaien project.

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Based on the submission by the developers, it turns out they plan to cut not the original 1000 expected, but actually 3000. Details here in this article. And that's not covering all the areas. Shinjuku Ward Assembly Member Ayumi Sawada says the total number of trees to be cut down is likely going to be in the tens of thousands.

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thomas said:

It seems Mrs Koike wants to enter the annals of history as Tokyo's tree killer: Outrage online increased further when Nikkan Gendai and SMART FLASH reported on Monday that the Tokyo Metropolitan Government is moving forward with a plan to redevelop the aquarium at Kasai Marine Park. The plan involves cutting down 1400 trees and putting up a grove of solar panels instead.

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"Each person has a vision of where they want to live, and this vision is shared to shape the city," the 71-year-old, who is battling stage IV cancer, said in a recent written interview with Kyodo News. [...] In a letter sent to Koike earlier this month, Sakamoto, who founded and leads the forest conservation organization More Trees, called for the project to be suspended and reviewed, saying "We should not sacrifice the precious trees of Jingu that our ancestors spent 100 years protecting and nurturing just for quick economic gain." Sakamoto said he felt inspired to write the letter by those who protested against the redevelopment just before it was granted approval by the metropolitan government. "As a citizen, I could not remain silent," he said. [...] "Shouldn't it be made common knowledge to the citizens of Tokyo what kind of vision the governor has for the city's urban planning?" he added. The composer, who has spent more time in Tokyo as a result of his ongoing treatment, said he feels nostalgic when visiting the Jingu Gaien area. Sakamoto lamented that he could not do more to "spread the word or take action beyond sending letters," as his "energy and physical strength have both declined to the point where it is difficult to even produce music."

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We will gather at Jingu Gaien in the afternoon of Saturday, April 1, and join hands to create a human chain to protect the "Kenkoku Kinen Bunko no Mori". Please join us!

Human Chain Demo
Saturday, April 1, 2023
14:30- Gather at the north side of the Kenkoku Kinen Bunko no Mori, by the National Stadium. (See the map above, also here is a link to the location of the forest National Foundation Memorial Archives · 2-3 Kasumigaokamachi, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 160-0013, Japan)
15:00- Join hands to form a human chain around the forest.
16:00 Dismissal

If possible, please wear green clothing!

Facebook event page
https://www.facebook.com/events/619362333355792?acontext=%7B%22event_action_history%22%3A[%7B%22surface%22%3A%22group%22%7D]%7D

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"Citizens were not adequately informed about the process behind the redevelopment plan," contends Tatsu Matsuda, an associate professor of architecture and urban planning at Shizuoka University of Art and Culture. Matsuda griped that Japan provides its citizens with few opportunities to participate in the creation of urban planning. Only two weeks are set aside after a plan is disclosed for people to submit their opinions, and it is not always clear whether their views are even taken into consideration. "The process for reaching an agreement is inadequate," Matsuda said. This, he said, is in sharp contrast to European nations like France and Switzerland, which offer a wide range of opportunities for residents to express their views on public works projects, including debate and referendums.

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Meiji Shrine also stands to benefit enormously from the project because it will, in effect, be the landlord of not only the baseball stadium, but also the two high-rise buildings. However, shrine officials have avoided giving any information on how much in rent they were expecting from the redevelopment project.

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