TOKYO - Large amounts of what appear to be illegally dumped garbage line the roadside at the Tokyo Metropolitan Kirigaoka Danchi in Kita Ward, where a decline in residents has left fewer eyes to monitor the sprawling public housing complex that first opened in the 1950s.
Televisions, electric fans and other household appliances occupy sidewalks around the complex, while nearby parks used as playgrounds for children have also been affected, creating an unsettling scene in what was once a place of relaxation for local residents.
"It’s truly unpleasant to see so much trash. It has turned into a dumping ground, and the piles just keep growing," said one nearby resident. Others voiced similar concerns, saying they now avoid walking through the area and that it is especially troubling given its proximity to a park used by children.
Kirigaoka Danchi began accepting residents in the mid-1950s and at its peak was home to about 5,000 households. Today, however, roughly 10% of the units stand vacant.
The shopping street at the center of the complex, once said to have offered almost everything residents needed, now has many shuttered storefronts. The owner of a toy shop that remains in operation suggested that the shrinking population has contributed to the problem.
"There are fewer people around, so there are fewer eyes watching. That may make it easier to dump garbage. We don’t want it to become normalized as a place where people think, ‘It’s okay to throw things away here,’" the shop owner said.
According to residents, as the number of people living in the complex has declined, monitoring has become less effective, allowing unknown individuals to leave trash behind.
Hiroyuki Masuda, head of the Kirigaoka Danchi West District neighborhood association, said he patrols the area almost daily and has been alarmed by the steadily increasing volume of waste.
"There’s even something like a running machine. It must have been very heavy to bring here. There’s also a fish tank that is now broken. When I saw it before, it was intact. Now it’s shattered and dangerous," Masuda said.
Masuda first noticed the large-scale dumping around four years ago. At the time, garbage was spread along both sides of the road, and foul odors lingered in the air.
Although the Tokyo Metropolitan Government collected the waste once, illegal dumping has continued. The problem has reportedly spread to other nearby locations as well, prompting authorities to seal off certain areas with fences.
"There is a risk of fire or collapse. Children sometimes come close and touch these items, and I worry they could get hurt if this continues," Masuda said.
Another nearby resident expressed anger, saying that disposing of large items properly costs money and that some people may be bringing trash to the site to avoid those fees.
The neighborhood association plans to request that the Tokyo Metropolitan Government install security cameras around the affected areas in an effort to deter further illegal dumping.
Source: FNN
