Tree-cutting is under way in the Jingu Gaien park district of central Tokyo – a flashpoint for more than a year between environmentalists and property developers.
Property interests led by the firm Mitsui Fudosan are executing a 10-year, multibillion-dollar plan to build three skyscrapers on the coveted land and to raze a historic baseball stadium, replacing it with a new facility.
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A small group of protesters gathered ahead of the event on Monday.
They object to the destruction of trees in a city that lacks green space and is seeing many parks handed over to commercial interests.
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The plan is backed by Tokyo Governor Yuiko Koike, who previously served as Japan’s environmental minister.
