Japan Press Weekly

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2014 July 2 - 8 [POLITICS]

Citizens hold human chain to protest against venue plan for 2020 Olympics

More than 500 people on July 5 assembled near the National Athletic Stadium to form a human chain in protest a plan to demolish the stadium to build a much larger one in preparation for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

A citizens’ group and members of the Japan Institute of Architects organized this action. They claim that the construction plan will cost too much and ruin the surrounding landscape. Since Tokyo Governor Masuzoe Yoichi expressed his intention to review venue plans for the Tokyo Summer Games, the demolition work of the stadium should not begin, they argue.

Along with the human chain action, at an adjoining park, architects flew balloons at the height of 70 meters in order for people to be able to visualize the size of the planned stadium.

Murofushi Jiro, one of the organizers, said that this demonstration made it clear to everyone attending how big the new stadium will be. He added that he hopes to provide a forum to discuss this matter with a wide range of people.

Past related articles
> Venue plans for Tokyo Olympics should reflect residents’ concerns: JCP Yoshida [June 12, 2014]
> Tokyo governor declares review of Olympic venue plans [June 11, 2014]
> Tokyo JCP calls for plan to demolish national stadium be cancelled [May 23, 2014]
> Lavish construction works for 2020 Tokyo Olympics arouse controversy [April 10, 2014]