To reassure citizens of the safety of the Toyosu wholesale food market, Tokyo Gov Yuriko Koike inspected the controversial site with local residents on Saturday. Dressed casually, Koike commenced the inspection by stating, “Today’s beautiful weather is perfect for touring the grounds of this wonderful Toyosu market.”
Koike announced last month that the aging Tsukiji fish market would be moved to the Toyosu location no earlier than June 2018, after taking additional safety measures to address soil contamination at the new site.
Concerns surrounding the relocation of the fish market to Toyosu have repeatedly been raised by fishery businesses and residents, and they demanded Koike officially declare the area as safe.
On Saturday, Koike was accompanied by 130 local residents of Koto Ward. The group inspected the sprawling site that directly faces Tokyo Bay.
Koike explained, “I believe that by inspecting Toyosu firsthand, everyone will understand the safety of this replacement site. In the future, I plan to continue clarifying information concerning the progress of additional projects.”
The specific schedule for the relocation of the market will be decided in talks with industry groups, according to Tokyo government officials. A supplementary budget plan includes 3 billion yen for measures to address soil contamination at the new site.
The Tsukiji market, where daily fish auctions attract many tourists, was originally scheduled to be moved to the newly built wholesale market in Toyosu last November. But Koike, who became governor in August last year, put the brakes on the project.
Concerns heightened as key buildings at the new site, previously used as a gas production plant, were found to have been built on hollow concrete chambers instead of a thick layer of clean soil, which was supposed to have been done to counter contamination.
Toxic chemicals, including benzene up to 100 times the government-set limit, were also detected in groundwater at the new site.
© Japan Today/Kyodo
16 Comments
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Blattamexiguus
Never miss a photo-op?
what exactly is Mary Poppins suggesting this group of Morris dancers might be 'looking at"?
unseen contamination is like looking for the invisible man.
...On Saturday, Koike was accompanied by 130 local residents of Koto Ward. The group inspected the sprawling site that directly faces Tokyo Bay.
Koike explained, “I believe that by inspecting Toyosu firsthand, everyone will understand the safety of this replacement site. In the future, I plan to continue clarifying information concerning the progress of additional projects.”..
she is proving to be just another LDP (read Nippon Kaigi) opportunist.
smartacus
She looks like she is doing her best Julie Andrews imitation from the "Sound of Music."
thepersoniamnow
Planned photo op. She looks like a clown.
sensei258
Apparently, all that toxic waste disappeared just because she waved her arms over the site.
itsonlyrocknroll
I do believe, with respect to Tokyo Gov Yuriko Koike, this a parody of well........
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AePRD1Ud3Lw
itsonlyrocknroll
Sorry smartacus, all credit I missed your comment, a trip to optician is in order.
Mona Lisa Rocketlauncher
This is disgusting.
It's like when right after the Fukushima Nuke Plant popped, they held an Ocean Day celebration with families swimming in the waters right off the coast to try and prove everything was okay.
Nothing but an evangelist doing TV voodoo to make you think the site is safe now cuz she flapped her arms over it and led the sheeple with her.
Koike the Pied Piper.
gogogo
Waves her hands and the site is clean?
Kestrel
first Renho, now her
UlsterBoy
The only way it will be deemed safe, is if a NGO has unrestricted access to the site to conduct testing and to freely publicize the results. Anything other than that would, I guess, incur some suspicion towards the Politicians involved - who will probably be found to be only eating imported Fish (Expensive Salmon for Norway for example)
bones
Looks like a scarecrow!
maybe she scared the contamination away with her governor powers!
toshiko
Let us worry on existing contamination.
Steve Savage
Good for her. Great symbolism!
smithinjapan
Koike: "Oh, this mask and gloves? You guys don't need them! I just have... allergies! yes. That hazmat suit over there also has no meaning. Say, are you guys excited for the Olympics?"
daito_hak
What a horrible PR nonsense. This is just ridiculous in every possible way. That being said, I would not be surprised that a lot of people in this country actually totally buy this kind of comedy.
Kestrel
daito-hak, for sure. they keep voting for it.