Ishihara to push ahead with relocation of fish market to polluted site

Japan Press Weekly

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Ishihara to push ahead with relocation of fish market to polluted site

Tokyo Governor Ishihara Shintaro on October 22 announced that he will push ahead with the plan to relocate the Tsukiji fish market to a contaminated site, disregarding public opposition.

Ishihara said that he will lift the freeze in regard to the budget for relocating the market to the former Tokyo Gas plant site in the Toyosu District, which has been shown to be contaminated with high concentrations of toxic materials.

In September, the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly decided to continue its environmental study at the site. Ishihara's announcement will inevitably encounter criticism by Metropolitan Assembly members and citizens.

Japanese Communist Party member of the assembly Yoshida Nobuo said, "Every time the planned site is inspected, more contamination is found. The entire area is possibly contaminated with toxic materials. It is unfit for a market where priority should be given to safety of food."

He pointed out that the Metropolitan Government's countermeasures lack scientific data. In its experiment to remove toxic chemicals, the metropolitan government laxly sampled highly polluted soils. It is strongly suspected that the published test report contains deceptive data, he said.

Yoshida demands that the governor not push ahead with the budget implementation; all information on the planned site, including soil contamination countermeasures, be disclosed for examination by specialists of the Association on the Environmental Studies and others; and a better redevelopment plan of the existing market be introduced as soon as possible.

The budget allotted for relocation of the fish market includes 126 billion yen to purchase the land, 51million yen for soil contamination countermeasures, 90 million yen for the basic design of the new market, 1.9 billion yen for construction, and miscellaneous costs, totaling 128.1 billion yen.

- Akahata, October 23, 2010