Japan: Cherry blossoms wither as spring arrives at doorstep

A photograph of a fallen cherry blossom tree. PIC/X @CHIYODA_CITY

Many of Tokyo's popular and iconic Somei Yoshino cherry blossom trees were planted during Japan's postwar advancement in the 1960s, and are now getting old and frail. Some have fallen and others require support, triggering safety concerns.

Two cherry blossom trees collapsed on Thursday, one at Kinuta Park in downtown Tokyo and the other at the Chidorigafuchi greenway. The one in Kinuta Park damaged a fence while the other tree almost fell into the Imperial Palace moat, though nobody was injured. Last year, 85 trees fell in Tokyo parks, injuring three people, and many were cherry trees, according to Masakazu Noguchi, a Tokyo metropolitan official in charge of public parks.

People gather under the trees during the season of hanami, or cherry blossom viewing, and the collapse of trees has alarmed officials in Tokyo, the birthplace of the cherry blossom variety. Tokyo assembly member Yutaka Kazama expressed concern on social media last month that "cherry blossom trees with their roots partially exposed or obviously rotten seem dangerous," calling for firm safety measures but without quickly resorting to tree felling.

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