Japan Press Weekly

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2012 October 10 - 16 [ENVIRONMENT]

Olympic canoeing course construction will harm oasis for wild birds

Experts warn that the construction of a canoeing course associated with Tokyo’s bid for the 2020 Summer Olympics will destroy an oasis for important wild birds, including endangered species.

The Tokyo Metropolitan government is planning to build canoeing facilities equipped with a 400-meter course and a 12,000-capacity stand, costing 1.4 billion yen, in a seaside park, eastern Tokyo.

Near the planned construction site, 226 wild birds have been so far observed, said the Wild Bird Society of Japan and local conservancies.

The park in question has a diversified natural environment with a shallow sea, mudflats, wetlands, grasslands, and woodlands, providing habitats for various plants and insects. Tens of thousands of migratory birds such as bluebills stop over every year to pass the winter there.

Red-bellied rock thrushes and kestrels (falcon family) listed as endangered species, and 24 other bird species on the danger list also live in the park areas. Another endangered species of little terns nested and laid their eggs for two consecutive years there.

Iida Nobuya, a local bird watcher, said, “The wetlands around the construction site are a valuable resource which even meets the requirements for registration under the Ramsar Convention.”

The Japan Wild Bird Society has already requested that Tokyo Govenor Ishihara Shintaro and the Olympic Games bid committee reconsider the construction plan. A local environmental group also made representations to the local assembly.

The head of the local Park of Birds Association said, “We do bird-watching and environment protection activities as our main purpose. We will continue calling on the local assembly to urge the Tokyo Metropolitan government to relocate the construction site.”