TOKYO - The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has submitted to the metropolitan assembly Japan’s first ordinance proposal that would in principle ban the installation of new utility poles, but how far has the effort to remove poles from above ground across the capital actually progressed?
Speaking at the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly on February 26th, Governor Yuriko Koike stressed the urgency of the initiative. “We must accelerate efforts to eliminate utility poles in order to prevent them from collapsing in a potential Tokyo metropolitan earthquake that could strike at any time,” Koike said.
Koike has long promoted the undergrounding of power lines, arguing that utility poles pose a serious risk during disasters, when they can topple and block roads or hamper emergency response.
Under the proposed ordinance, the metropolitan government would in principle prohibit the construction of new utility poles when developing new residential areas — a first in Japan.
To assess the current situation, a visit to the Higashi-Azabu shopping street in Minato Ward revealed that many poles still line the roads.
“Along this street, there are quite a lot of utility poles,” a reporter observed on site.
Although undergrounding work is underway in parts of the area, numerous poles remain, including some that appear slightly tilted.
A tea shop owner who has operated in the shopping district for 70 years said the number of poles has declined compared with the past. “On the main road, they’ve disappeared. It feels much cleaner — I think it’s better without them,” the owner said. “I feel like there used to be one over there that’s now gone.”
Another resident in their 80s noted improvements in other areas. “When I walked in Machida recently, there weren’t any poles at all. You could see far into the distance, and it looked nice,” the resident said. “But for me, safety matters more than scenery. I think poles will inevitably fall because buildings fall. Whether they’re underground or above ground, they’re still affected by earthquakes.”
On February 18th, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government announced plans to expand its priority areas for undergrounding utility lines, underscoring its push to accelerate the program.
The metropolitan government emphasized that it will also call on the national government to strengthen legal frameworks to further promote the elimination of utility poles.
Source: TBS
