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TOKYO ALBUM > Tokyo Photo News > Tokyo Photo News backnumbers > Tokyo Photo News 2007 > Tokyo Photo News July 2007
Transforming a man-made island of waste and surplus soil into an “Umi-no-Mori (Green Island)”
The project to develop the Inner Central Breakwater Landfill site, built of waste and surplus construction soil, into the Umi-no-Mori (Green Island) Park was launched on July 17. This green forest will become the starting point for a wind passage from the ocean to the city center. At the tree-planting ceremony, Governor Shintaro Ishihara, architect Tadao Ando, alpinist Ken Noguchi, and astronaut Mamoru Mori, along with some elementary school students, planted about 300 camphor and ubame oak seedlings. 480,000 trees will be planted on the expansive 88-hectare site, an area about 5.5 times the size of Hibiya Park, with the park scheduled for completion in 30 years. Picture: Governor Ishihara dressed in a raincoat holding a shovel, with Mr. Mori to the right, and Mr. Noguchi to the left.
Tokyo 2016 logo unveiled!
The Tokyo 2016 logo was unveiled at the Tokyo International Forum on July 10 by Governor Shintaro Ishihara, who was joined at the ceremony by TOKYO 2016 Olympic Games Bid Committee Chairman and CEO Dr. Ichiro Kono, Vice President Mr. Tsunekazu Takeda, Athens Olympics bronze medalist Ms. Kyoko Hamaguchi and other bid officials. The concept behind the logo's design is “MUSUBI” (a traditional Japanese knot). The logo integrates the five Olympic colors into the motif of a mizuhiki (ceremonial paper cord). By tying together the heart of Japanese tradition with the spirit of the Olympics, it expresses the hope that this legacy will be left to the following generations. The logo will be utilized to further boost activities for the Olympic bid campaign in Japan.
National Governors' Meeting
With the key topic of decentralization reform on the agenda, the Meeting of the National Governors' Association was held on July 12 and 13 in Kumamoto City. Forty-four prefectural governors gathered together to summarize proposals to put forward to the central government concerning the second phase of the decentralization reform. With both pros and cons expressed on the “hometown tax”, submission of a proposal on this issue was shelved. It was also resolved at the meeting that the prefectural governments would support Tokyo's bid activities for the hosting of the 2016 Summer Olympics.
National Assembly of Local Welfare and Child Commissioners held to mark the 90th anniversary of the Local Welfare Commissioners
The National Assembly of Local Welfare and Child Commissioners was held on July 5 at the Nippon Budokan. This year marks the 90th anniversary of the inception of the social welfare councilor system in 1917 in Okayama Prefecture -- the system that is said to have sparked the establishment of the local welfare commissioner system. The Assembly, with the theme of “Spreading kindness throughout the community,” was attended by Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress. It was a memorable day for the 6,000 commissioners nationwide who have for many years volunteered their support for social welfare. Picture: As one of the organizers of the Assembly, Governor Shintaro Ishihara greets the participants.
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