TLDR: The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is steamrolling through the Jingu Gaien redevelopment plan despite strong opposition from lawmakers and the public. Our only hope is to make as much noise as possible in the next two weeks before Governor Koike gives the final approval. Please everyone take a few moments over the New Year’s holiday and submit a formal request letter to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government -- detailed instructions in the second half of this message. And make noise on social media and every other way you can think of. If everyone reading this raises their voice we might be able to persuade Koike that the public will not stand for this.
日本語版はこちら Japanese version of this message here.
One year has passed since the Tokyo Metropolitan Government held a briefing session for nearby residents regarding the redevelopment plan for Jingu Gaien. As word spread about the destructive plans, the people of Tokyo and the nation have raised their voices in opposition to the project.
More than 110,000 people have signed this petition calling for a review and revision of the plan. A cross-party group of 28 Diet Members came together this fall to form the Caucus for the Protection of Nature, History, and Culture of Jingu Gaien, which also calls for the plan to be revised. A formal measure calling for preservation of the Jingu Gaien gingko tree avenue was unanimously adopted by the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly earlier this month. And the Japan Committee of UNESCO’s International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) issued an urgent request to the Governor of Tokyo to halt the plan.
But despite these increasing calls for the redevelopment plan to be halted and reconsidered, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government is refusing to listen to these voices. Instead, it is siding with the developers, rushing through the administrative steps, condoning sloppy work by the developers and making a mockery of the environmental assessment process.
An Environmental Assessment Committee meeting was held on December 26, hastily arranged with little advance notice at a time of the year designed to draw as little attention as possible and without all members attending (including one who was particularly vocal in the August meeting).
In the meeting on the 26th, one committee member present, Konomi Ikebe, did forcefully state her concerns in an eloquent statement. Among her concerns was that it’s inappropriate for an important project of such high public interest to be treated as just another agenda item -- it deserves more scrutiny. However, the issues she raised were ignored – the meeting just kept going as if she hadn’t said anything at all.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government refuses to acknowledge that Jingu Gaien is unique. They would prefer to just proceed with their normal default administrative process. In doing so, they are completely ignoring the unusual decision of the Environmental Assessment Committee in August to require ongoing hearings, the decision of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly to adopt a protection measure, and the will of thousands of members of the public. Instead, they are just steamrolling the project through.
Meanwhile, even the basic administrative process they purport to be following is not being carried out properly. Information disclosure from the developers is inadequate, their answers to questions are vague and evasive, and many issues raised by the Environmental Assessment Committee have been left unresolved. For example, the Environmental Assessment Committee asked that a study of the ginkgo trees’ roots be conducted prior to the preparation of the environmental impact assessment report, due to concerns that the siting of the new baseball stadium only 8 meters from the trees will create so much root damage that the trees will wither and die. This report has now been changed to an after-the-fact report, i.e., after construction has begun, thus rendering it meaningless.
According to a report this week in the Tokyo Shimbun, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government claims that the environmental assessment process is effectively over. Why are they in such a hurry? It’s because they are desperately trying to move the project as soon as possible to a stage where there is no turning back.
Based on the results of the Environmental Assessment Council meeting on December 26, the developers will submit the Environmental Impact Assessment in early January. If the governor of Tokyo publicly ratifies and announces the results (公示 kōji in Japanese), then the last administrative step will have been cleared and the project will have a green light. The project will probably begin with dismantling of the Jingu No. 2 Stadium (the golf practice center, which just closed its doors much to the sadness of the city’s golf fans). Next will be the removal of trees from the dense Kenkoku Kinen Bunko no Mori grove near the Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery.
So basically, everything is going according to the developers’ plan, making the situation rather dire.
New year’s action – flood the Tokyo Metropolitan Government with formal request letters
The most important thing we need to do now is to strongly appeal to Governor Koike not to approve the Environmental Impact Assessment report when it is submitted by the developer in January (yes, in Japan the developer writes the Environmental Impact Assessment!).
We need to ask that the Governor of Tokyo not allow the developers to move forward with the construction. We must raise our voices, stronger than ever, in numbers that cannot be ignored.
So here is our plan, and our request to you. We want as many people as possible to send a formal request letter (要望書 yōbōsho) to Governor Koike. The New Year holiday is a great time to take a few moments to do this. You do not need to be a resident of Tokyo, or even of Japan, to submit a request letter. It doesn’t have to be in Japanese (although that is preferable if possible).
First, how to prepare the letter.
Request letters can be submitted by individuals or by any group or organization.
Unless you are using the online option (#1 below) the letter needs to be in a certain format, with the date (top right), the addressee (Dear Governor Yuriko Koike) (top left), the name of the individual or group submitting the letter and their contact information (right), and then the text of your request below that. A template can be viewed here.
Please write the body of your request to Governor Koike in your own words (it won’t be effective if I give you text to copy/paste). It should include a clear request that she does not formally ratify (公示 kōji) the project plan. You might also want to suggest that it be sent back to the Environmental Assessment Committee for further deliberations, and/or that the whole thing be sent back to the drawing board.
Next, submitting the letter. There are four different ways you can submit a request letter:
1. Send an online message to the Citizens' Voice Contact Center using the form on this page: https://www.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/tosei/iken-sodan/otoiawase/madoguchi/koe/index.html?fbclid=IwAR2eTYk7vxOgjl589JmywzqEr4YkOVt8fwW_g7dCG2bAOwmI3jpfRmq4k1Q Details on how to fill out the form here if you don't read Japanese: https://www.change.org/p/protect-jingu-gaien-s-trees-rethink-the-development-plan/u/31194173?recently_published=true
2. Send your letter by post to the following address:
Person in charge of “Tomin no Koe Sogo Madoguchi”, Tokyo Metropolitan Government Offices, Tokyo, Japan 163-8001
3. Send your letter by fax: 03-5388-1233
4. Bring your letter to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Offices in Shinjuku and hand it to them in person (this is the best option if you are able to do it). The offices will re-open on January 4th.
There are two ways to submit a request in person.
(1) Go to the Citizens' Voice General Desk (都民の声総合窓口) on the north side of the 3rd floor of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building No. 1 and submit your request as a "written request to the Governor of Tokyo (都知事への要望書)".
(2) Go to the information desk in the lobby of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building No. 1 and tell them that you would like to submit a "written request to the Governor of Tokyo (都知事への要望書)". A secretary will come to the lobby on behalf of the Governor, hand the letter directly to them.
In either case, please take a picture when you hand over the letter and post it on social media to spread the word. If possible use the hashtag #神宮外苑の樹木伐採に反対します
If a large number of people submit their request letters in various ways, it will surely attract attention at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Offices.
So, please write your request letter and send it as soon as possible! This may be the last chance to raise your voice to save Jingu Gaien.
In addition, any other actions you can think of (writing to Prime Minister Kishida, writing to local politicians in the area you live (if you live in Tokyo), talking to the media, etc. are of course welcome!
References (in Japanese):
*Guide to the Citizens' Voice of the Metropolitan Government Office https://www.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/tosei/iken-sodan/otoiawase/madoguchi/koe/index.html?fbclid=IwAR2eTYk7vxOgjl589JmywzqEr4YkOVt8fwW_g7dCG2bAOwmI3jpfRmq4k1Q
*Notes on submitting proposals and requests https://www.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/tosei/iken-sodan/tominnokoe/ryuijikou.html