February 27, 2011
Having help from a local Japanese Communist Party member, an owner of a flower farm in Yokohama City in Kanagawa Prefecture was able to keep his business.
Komiya Yukio and his wife, Kiyomi, operate a farm raising flowers for sale to florists in Yokohama City.
In March 2009, the construction of 17 units of two-story houses began on land on the east side of Komiya’s farm land. Komiya found out that if the construction is completed, a part of the units will block the sunlight from reaching Komiya’s farm land for three hours after sunrise.
“If the early-morning sunshine is blocked, the flowers will not blossom. This will deliver a heavy blow to us,” said Komiya. Thus, Komiya and his wife went to the prefectural and city offices to ask for help. However, they were only told, “The construction has an official permission.”
Facing a desperate situation, in April 2009, the couple visited JCP member, Iwasaki Hiroshi, whom a friend of the couple introduced. Iwasaki is a former Yokohama City Assembly member and has been providing residents with a counseling service for 16 years.
Iwasaki studied the situation regarding the housing construction and the Koyama’s farm and negotiated with the construction company more than 10 times for one and a half years.
Komiya’s farm is designated as a productive green land area. With the aim of promoting environmental conservation in urban areas, the national and local governments designate urban farm land as productive green land area and restrict sales of such land, giving them preferential tax treatment.
Referring to this fact during the negotiations, Iwasaki argued that if the Komiyas are unable to continue operating their farm, it will infringe on their right to livelihood.
In the spring of 2010, finally, the couple and the construction company reached an agreement in which the company will leave part of the land as vacant land so that the early-hour sunshine will continue to reach Komiya’s farm land.
Komiya said, “We had a previous image of the JCP as being scary. Our impression has turned 180 degrees. Iwasaki worked hard for farmers like us. He is a person who understands our hardships and serves as a model for other assemblymen in Yokohama.”
Iwasaki is running in the upcoming simultaneous local election in April in order to return to the city assembly.
Komiya Yukio and his wife, Kiyomi, operate a farm raising flowers for sale to florists in Yokohama City.
In March 2009, the construction of 17 units of two-story houses began on land on the east side of Komiya’s farm land. Komiya found out that if the construction is completed, a part of the units will block the sunlight from reaching Komiya’s farm land for three hours after sunrise.
“If the early-morning sunshine is blocked, the flowers will not blossom. This will deliver a heavy blow to us,” said Komiya. Thus, Komiya and his wife went to the prefectural and city offices to ask for help. However, they were only told, “The construction has an official permission.”
Facing a desperate situation, in April 2009, the couple visited JCP member, Iwasaki Hiroshi, whom a friend of the couple introduced. Iwasaki is a former Yokohama City Assembly member and has been providing residents with a counseling service for 16 years.
Iwasaki studied the situation regarding the housing construction and the Koyama’s farm and negotiated with the construction company more than 10 times for one and a half years.
Komiya’s farm is designated as a productive green land area. With the aim of promoting environmental conservation in urban areas, the national and local governments designate urban farm land as productive green land area and restrict sales of such land, giving them preferential tax treatment.
Referring to this fact during the negotiations, Iwasaki argued that if the Komiyas are unable to continue operating their farm, it will infringe on their right to livelihood.
In the spring of 2010, finally, the couple and the construction company reached an agreement in which the company will leave part of the land as vacant land so that the early-hour sunshine will continue to reach Komiya’s farm land.
Komiya said, “We had a previous image of the JCP as being scary. Our impression has turned 180 degrees. Iwasaki worked hard for farmers like us. He is a person who understands our hardships and serves as a model for other assemblymen in Yokohama.”
Iwasaki is running in the upcoming simultaneous local election in April in order to return to the city assembly.
