Her message was clear, and she repeated it standing at the heart of the Jingu Gaien park area, its sanctity threatened by a disputed real-estate development plan.
“I'm a tree,” she said. “Don't chop me down.”
A plan approved earlier this year by Gov.
“I want to appreciate the existence of these trees. Sometime I can feel some sounds inside,” he said.
The planned redevelopment would take more than a decade to finish, and has attracted lawsuits with mounting opposition from conservationists, civic groups, local residents and sports fans.
Eighteen ginkgo trees behind the rugby stadium are likely to be cut down.
The flashpoint has been trees, green space, and who controls a public area that has been encroached on over the years. Also at issue is the fate of more than 100 gingko trees that line an avenue in the area and provide a colorful cascade of falling leaves each autumn. Botanists say any construction is sure to cause damage.
Critics say the plan has been rammed through despite a botched environmental assessment as real-estate developers take what was intended as public land and turn it into a private commercial venture.
Famous Japanese novelist
The rugby stadium was used during the 1964
The project highlights the ties among the main actors: the governor,
“The redevelopment of the park is obviously a public issue,”
“But because Jingu Gaien is also a public park with sports facilities, politicians can — and do — meddle in the decisions. Which results in the cozy, probably collusive relationships among the insiders that are unaccountable to the public.”
About 1,500 trees were chopped down in the same area to build the
“This is like building skyscrapers in the middle of
Developers have argued the two sports facilities cannot be renovated and must be razed.
However,
Meiji Kinenkan, a historic reception hall, dates from 1881. It's still in wide use in Jingu Gaien, with no calls for its demolition.
“The development companies are trying to cut down more trees and make a huge business area,” Nakashima said as a leaf was painted on her cheek. “The park has a very long history and should be saved.”
___
AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
, source