ICOMOS issues urgent 'Heritage Alert' to save Jingu Gaien from planned redevelopment
TOKYO — The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), is a highly respected professional organization that works for the conservation and protection of cultural heritage places around the world. Based in Paris, it was founded in 1964 and offers advice to UNESCO on the preservation of World Heritage Sites.
From time to time ICOMOS issues what is called a ‘Heritage Alert.’ It is a process which uses ICOMOS’ professional and public networks “to promote the conservation of cultural heritage sites in danger.”
The Heritage Alert is ICOMOS’ most consequential expression of concern.
Heritage alerts to date have delayed the planned demolitions in the Courtyard of the Government Palace in the heart of Helsinki’s historic center, as well as the destruction of Stockholm City Library, the Stadio Artemio Franchi, Florence, Italy, the Philadelphia Police Administration Building, the historic Beirut Grain Silos, the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) Old Campus, and the historic center of Colón, Panama. The Takanawa Chikutei Maritime Railway Track Embankment (Japan), has been another target.
ICOMOS just recently issued a Heritage Alert for Meiji Jingu aimed at “stopping the destruction of approximately 3,000 trees, the loss of open park space in Jingu Gaien, Tokyo, Japan … and the construction of skyscrapers in a world-renowned park, without consultation with citizens and stakeholders.”
More than 500 of those trees are estimated to be over 100 years old, and an additional 500 estimated to be over 50 years of age.
“Jingu Gaien,” said ICOMOS in a public statement, “has a unique structure unparalleled in the history of parks around the world. Jingu Gaien was designed to create a ‘forest for the people.’ The park forms the core of the Garden City Park System in Tokyo and is an outstanding example of a citizen-owned park, unparalleled in the history of urban parks worldwide.
“Urban parks are places for people’s recreation and also contribute to maintaining rich biodiversity. They mitigate the heat island effect in cities and provide shelter in case of natural disasters such as major earthquakes. Jingu Gaien, created through donations and voluntary work of citizens, represents an outstanding cultural heritage, unparalleled in the history of urban parks worldwide.”
ICOMOS Japan was alarmed that the plan also designated a 3.5-hectare area of the Meiji city park to mixed-use skyscrapers, while changing the regulation of the Scenic District from a height limitation of 15m, to allow the construction of three high-rise buildings with heights of 190m, 185m, and 80m. The plan also allows for the replacement and relocation of the rugby and baseball stadiums.
ICOMOS regards this as an irreversible destruction of cultural heritage, and an unacceptable loss of open space and mature heritage trees at a time when the world response to climate change recognizes the critical importance of maintaining urban open spaces and all parts of the urban forest.
ICOMOS also notes the construction of a new Jingu Stadium will critically affect the health of the allee of Gingko trees along the southeast border of the site. By inserting a 40-meter-deep piling for the stadium construction, only 6 meters from the trunks of the Gingko trees, the construction will affect the water levels in the soil, and further stress the Gingkos. In addition, the construction of the stadium will affect access to sunlight for the Gingko trees, which are the symbol of Jingu Gaien. This is contrary to the commitment expressed by the project proponent and Tokyo Metropolitan Government to “preserve the Ginkgo trees in perpetuity.”
In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister of Japan, the Governor of Tokyo and other relevant dignitaries and officials, ICOMOS called upon the project proponents — Mitsui Fudosan Co. Ltd., Meiji Jingu Shrine, Japan Sports Council, and Itochu Co. Ltd. — to immediately withdraw the redevelopment project of Jingu Gaien.
ICOMOS also called upon the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to review the relevant city planning decisions.
ICOMOS further urged The Meiji Jingu Shrine to immediately withdraw from the project, considering that Jingu Gaien was created thanks to the donations and voluntary labor provided by citizens, on the understanding that the original promise to “maintain it as a beautiful park for eternity” would be fulfilled.
It beseeched the Minato, Shinjuku, and Shibuya Wards to work on ensuring that Jingu Gaien is designated as a Place of Scenic Beauty, in the interest of future generations and finally, it called upon the national government of Japan to intervene, and not consider this a problem of Tokyo only.
ICOMOS voiced concerns that the project is being carried out with little or no information provided to the public, saying “We request that the principles of democracy be respected, and the information about the future of Jingu Gaien be widely disseminated to the public. A forum should be created where diverse stake- holders can contribute to discussion on the future of the park.”
ICOMOS officials said that their organization was moved to act after receiving many communications and published articles voicing protest against this redevelopment.
There have been more than 300 published articles in newspapers and other media, including articles in Yukan Fuji, along with a petition containing more than 218,000 signatures, as well as letters from world renowned musicians and novelists, like the late Ryu Sakamoto and Haruki Murakami.
In a recent e-mail interview with this writer for Substack, Gaia Jungeblodt Director of the International Secretariat for ICOMOS said:
Mr. Whiting, ICOMOS only issues an international heritage alert after actions taken at the local level have been unsuccessful. The international alert, in that sense, is the culminating step after all local efforts have failed.
Our international alert serves to support the local initiatives to reinforce these and give them greater visibility. Whilst they unfortunately do not always save these sites (as they are issued for the complex cases) at least they draw attention and spark debate.
Many situations tend to fluctuate — with several reversals — sometimes for years.
Thanks to the press echo we are hoping that the voice of our Japanese heritage colleagues, local citizens, and many cultural figures in Japan will now be heard on this case.
Let’s hope the ICOMOS alert brings many, many more voices in opposition and save’s Meiji Jingu Kyujo and the rugby stadium.
END
But on Friday, the mayor of Shinjuku approved yet another request from Mitsui Fudosan to cut down more trees. It’s a slap in the face of both the ICOMOS and all the citizens in the past who donated time, money and trees to create Jingu Gaien, not to mention all the current citizens who are loudly protesting the massive destruction of Jingu Gaien, Hibiya Park, Inokashira Park, Arisugawa Park, and even Kyoto’s Botanical Garden.
At least 23,075 hectares of forests in Japan have been cut down in recent years. This is equivalent to the area of Osaka City. This is a pattern currently being repeated throughout Japan. The mountains that have been cut to shreds will lose their ability to retain water, and we will soon suffer from a lack of water as well. Japan has had a lot of landslides due to deforesting, and now they cut the trees that they planted to prevent those disasters.
What are the so-called leaders of Japan thinking??