Tokyo plan likened to putting ‘skyscrapers’ in Central Park

By STEPHEN WADE
Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — The Jingu Gaien is a rare green space in central Tokyo. Real estate interests and the city want to redevelop the area and build a pair of highrise towers in the park-like space. Opponents liken this to building skyscrapers in New York’s Central Park. The flashpoint has been trees, green space, and who controls a public area that has been encroached on over the years. Also at issue is the fate of more than 100 ginko trees that line an avenue and provide a colorful cascade of falling leaves each autumn. The area is also home to a historic baseball stadium that hosted Babe Ruth in 1934.