'Don't kill our nature' - Petition against felling thousands of trees in historic Tokyo park area

People take part in a protest against the Tokyo metropolitan government’s redevelopment project for the Meiji Jingu Gaien district in Tokyo. Campaigners filed a fresh petition with almost 225,000 signatures on Monday, September 25, 2023 against plans to fell potentially thousands of trees and tear down a historic baseball stadium in a rare green area of central Tokyo. - AFP

TOKYO (AFP): Campaigners filed a fresh petition with almost 225,000 signatures on Monday against plans to fell potentially thousands of trees and tear down a historic baseball stadium in a rare green area of central Tokyo.

Lush with trees donated to honour Emperor Meiji a century ago, Meiji Jingu Gaien offers respite and shade -- Japan saw its hottest recorded summer this year -- in one of the world's biggest urban areas.