It’s a story that could have come straight from the script of a Studio Ghibli film or, perhaps, a Joni Mitchell song. Major corporations and government interests unite to cut down trees, demolish a beloved park, and commercialize a common area — all in the name of profit, despite local opposition and even against the dying wishes of a beloved national treasure.
The redevelopment of Jingu Gaien, a green oasis in Tokyo’s city center, has divided opinion for years. Protesters have condemned the planned rebuilding of the baseball and rugby stadiums, which they say will result in the destruction of “thousands” of trees. But like many compelling stories, this is largely fiction.
The park dates back a century to the construction of the Meiji Shrine, envisioned by Eiichi Shibusawa, the “father of Japanese capitalism,” who debuted last week on the new design of Japan’s largest banknote. Since I first wrote about the redevelopment last year, debate has intensified. A UNESCO-affiliated agency has voiced opposition, the Supreme Court has rejected an injunction to halt work, and it became a battleground in Tokyo’s recent gubernatorial election, where an opposition-backed candidate promised to put the project to the people in a first-ever referendum.
