August 11, 2016
The Japanese Communist Party Tokyo Metropolitan Assemblymembers’ Group on August 10 petitioned Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko to thoroughly revise the plan to relocate the Tsukiji fish market to Toyosu in November.
The metropolitan government plans to open the new market on November 7 in Toyosu, a former Tokyo Gas plant site. However, it has been revealed that the former plant site is polluted with benzene, cyanides, arsenic, and other toxic chemicals.
In the petition, the JCP stressed that a majority of intermediate wholesalers in the Tsukiji market recently made representations to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, demanding that the scheduled opening day of the new market be postponed.
The JCP assemblymembers’ group also pointed out that the investigations into the soil contamination by chemical residuals such as benzene and cyanides at the Toyosu site and the decontamination work are totally insufficient and that while a high dose of benzene, around 60% of the environmental standard, was detected from the air in buildings at the new market site in April and May, the Tokyo government has yet to determine why such a high level of toxic chemicals remains. In addition, the JCP group members mentioned that defects in the buildings, such as insufficient load capacities of the floors, have not yet had properly addressed.
The assemblymembers’ group noted that Governor Koike during the gubernatorial election campaign pledged to reconsider the relocation plan. They urged the governor to listen carefully to the people concerned regarding the market, civil groups working on this matter, and the experts, carefully reevaluate the project, and refrain from applying to the Agriculture Minstery for approval to open the new market in Toyosu.
On the same day, representatives of citizens groups opposing the Tsukiji market relocation submitted a petition to the governor. The petition demands that the metropolitan government postpone the relocation for at least three months.
Past related articles:
> Tokyo gov’t orders demolition work of Tsukiji fish market without governor’s approval [July 29, 2016]
> Tsukiji market dealers don’t want to move to soil-polluted site [March 5, 2015]
The metropolitan government plans to open the new market on November 7 in Toyosu, a former Tokyo Gas plant site. However, it has been revealed that the former plant site is polluted with benzene, cyanides, arsenic, and other toxic chemicals.
In the petition, the JCP stressed that a majority of intermediate wholesalers in the Tsukiji market recently made representations to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, demanding that the scheduled opening day of the new market be postponed.
The JCP assemblymembers’ group also pointed out that the investigations into the soil contamination by chemical residuals such as benzene and cyanides at the Toyosu site and the decontamination work are totally insufficient and that while a high dose of benzene, around 60% of the environmental standard, was detected from the air in buildings at the new market site in April and May, the Tokyo government has yet to determine why such a high level of toxic chemicals remains. In addition, the JCP group members mentioned that defects in the buildings, such as insufficient load capacities of the floors, have not yet had properly addressed.
The assemblymembers’ group noted that Governor Koike during the gubernatorial election campaign pledged to reconsider the relocation plan. They urged the governor to listen carefully to the people concerned regarding the market, civil groups working on this matter, and the experts, carefully reevaluate the project, and refrain from applying to the Agriculture Minstery for approval to open the new market in Toyosu.
On the same day, representatives of citizens groups opposing the Tsukiji market relocation submitted a petition to the governor. The petition demands that the metropolitan government postpone the relocation for at least three months.
Past related articles:
> Tokyo gov’t orders demolition work of Tsukiji fish market without governor’s approval [July 29, 2016]
> Tsukiji market dealers don’t want to move to soil-polluted site [March 5, 2015]
