September 11, 2018
The Agriculture and Fisheries Minister on September 10 approved the Tokyo Metropolitan government’s application for the opening of a new market with the relocation of the current central wholesale fish market from the Tsukiji district to a former gas plant site in the Toyosu district.
Secretary general of the Japanese Communist Party Tokyo Metropolitan Assemblymembers’ Group Oyama Tomoko issued a statement in protest against the Agriculture Minister’s approval.
Excerpts of her statement are as follows.
Located on the planned site for the Toyosu market was a Tokyo Gas plant and thus the soil of the site is still polluted, and this place is unsuitable for a fresh food market. The metropolitan government had pledged to decrease pollution in the soil and groundwater to a level meeting the environmental standards. However, a recent test of groundwater detected benzene 170 times higher than the maximum allowable level and traces of cyanogen which is a banned pollutant.
The wholesale market law stipulates that the opinions of all parties concerned should be heard. However, the metropolitan government just held hearings at meetings of its council on wholesale market issues and its conference discussing the Tsukiji relocation, which consists of representatives of relevant business organizations. Many Tsukiji workers, including brokers and traders as well as consumers are opposed to the market relocation.
The estimated amount of agricultural and marine products the Toyosu market would handle is exaggerated. The new market would cause an annual loss of ten billion yen if it starts operation.
In order to ensure food safety and enable consumers and businesses to keep using the wholesale market without anxiety, the JCP Metropolitan Assemblymembers’ Group will continue urging the Tokyo government to cancel the relocation and maintain the Tsukiji market.
Past related articles:
> Tokyo Governor endorses Tsukiji fish market relocation to contaminated Toyosu site [August 2, 2018]
> Unilateral agreement on Toyosu relocation date provokes anger among Tsukiji workers [November 8 & 11, 2017]
Secretary general of the Japanese Communist Party Tokyo Metropolitan Assemblymembers’ Group Oyama Tomoko issued a statement in protest against the Agriculture Minister’s approval.
Excerpts of her statement are as follows.
Located on the planned site for the Toyosu market was a Tokyo Gas plant and thus the soil of the site is still polluted, and this place is unsuitable for a fresh food market. The metropolitan government had pledged to decrease pollution in the soil and groundwater to a level meeting the environmental standards. However, a recent test of groundwater detected benzene 170 times higher than the maximum allowable level and traces of cyanogen which is a banned pollutant.
The wholesale market law stipulates that the opinions of all parties concerned should be heard. However, the metropolitan government just held hearings at meetings of its council on wholesale market issues and its conference discussing the Tsukiji relocation, which consists of representatives of relevant business organizations. Many Tsukiji workers, including brokers and traders as well as consumers are opposed to the market relocation.
The estimated amount of agricultural and marine products the Toyosu market would handle is exaggerated. The new market would cause an annual loss of ten billion yen if it starts operation.
In order to ensure food safety and enable consumers and businesses to keep using the wholesale market without anxiety, the JCP Metropolitan Assemblymembers’ Group will continue urging the Tokyo government to cancel the relocation and maintain the Tsukiji market.
Past related articles:
> Tokyo Governor endorses Tsukiji fish market relocation to contaminated Toyosu site [August 2, 2018]
> Unilateral agreement on Toyosu relocation date provokes anger among Tsukiji workers [November 8 & 11, 2017]
