Japan Press Weekly

Tweet

2018 August 1 - 7 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

Tokyo Governor endorses Tsukiji fish market relocation to contaminated Toyosu site

Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko on August 1 submitted to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries an application for approval to open a new wholesale fish market at a former Tokyo Gas plant site in October as a replacement to the famed Tsukiji fish market. However, even now it is reported that benzene 170 times higher than the legal limit was detected in groundwater at the planned relocation site.

The Japanese Communist Party Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly Members’ Group at a meeting with Governor Koike which was held on the day urged the governor to withdraw the approval application and take back her pronouncement claiming that the new market site in Toyosu is safe.

In the meeting, the JCP assembly persons’ group referred to the survey results released on July 30 in which the Tokyo government reported that toxic substances such as benzene 170 times higher than recognized environmental standards were detected in groundwater at the Toyosu site. The JCP pointed out that even after the metropolitan government implemented additional decontamination measures, soil contamination issues remain.

JCP Tokyo assembly members’ group secretary general Oyama Tomoko cited the latest report of the Tokyo government’s expert panel that recognized the additional measures as sufficient. Oyama said, “The expert panel compiled the report in an underhanded manner because although the panel is legally required to hold a meeting open to the public, it held no public meetings over the past year. Based on this report, the governor issued the safety declaration. Such a declaration lacks scientific evidence and thus should be retracted.”

Meanwhile, later on the same day, Tsukiji brokers’ groups, including the women brokers’ group “Tsukiji Okamisan Kai”, along with concerned citizens petitioned the Agriculture and Fisheries Ministry to not approve the Tokyo government application.

Representing the brokers’ groups, broker Miyahara Yoji touched on the pollution problems and said, “We feel anxieties about everything concerning the new market site. We hope the ministry will examine the Tokyo government application thoroughly.” A ministry official replied that the ministry will conduct the examination in accordance with the legally-set approval standards.

Past related articles:
> Unilateral agreement on Toyosu relocation date provokes anger among Tsukiji workers [November 8 & 11, 2017]
> Tokyo governor decides to relocate fresh market to contaminated Toyosu site [June 21, 2017]
> Benzene 100 times higher than legal baseline detected again in groundwater in Toyosu [May 19, 2017]