The Tokyo "Green Census" and the Beginning of Nationwide Vegetation Surveys—June 1974

The Tokyo "Green Census" and the Beginning of Nationwide Vegetation Surveys—June 1974 The "Green Census" was a major environmental survey conducted in the 1970s that sought to systematically assess the actual state of vegetation and green spaces nationwide. The document notes in its June 1, 1974, issue that the “Green Census” was about to be released, indicating that efforts to advance urban park development and nature conservation policies had entered a phase focused on verifying the actual quantity and distribution of green spaces, rather than relying on anecdotal discussions. The significance of this survey lay in its attempt to grasp the reality of green spaces in each region, rather than relying on a mere impression of whether they “existed or not.” Amid rapid urbanization driven by high economic growth, green spaces—including forests, farmland, riverbanks, urban parks, and street trees—were rapidly diminishing and changing in character. Consequently, determining where and how much green space remained, and in which areas it was lacking, became a prerequisite for environmental policy. Furthermore, as the name “Census” suggests, this survey was not merely a matter of nature observation but rather the creation of foundational data covering the entire national territory. Just as the population census serves as the foundation for social policy, the Green Census was expected to provide foundational data for urban planning, nature conservation, park development, and greening projects. In other words, there was a growing recognition that green spaces should be treated not as something purely sentimental, but as a public resource to be managed by the government. This survey made the shortage of green spaces in urban areas clear and reaffirmed the conservation value of the natural environment in rural areas. Particularly in large cities, where green spaces had been fragmented by residential development and road construction, the concept of connecting green spaces not as isolated points but as interconnected lines and areas became crucial. It can be said that this survey also served as the starting point for the “green network” concept, which views parks, street trees, riverine green spaces, and farmland as an integrated whole. Furthermore, the Green Census laid the groundwork for subsequent environmental impact assessments and urban greening plans. The procedure of surveying the nature and vegetation of a target area before proceeding with development came to be emphasized, and green space conservation evolved into a policy domain where decisions were based on data rather than merely on experience or intuition. In this way, the Green Census was a foundational initiative in 1970s environmental policy that visualized green spaces nationwide and enabled scientific policy-making. Its significance lay in the fact that it reevaluated green spaces—which were being lost due to urbanization—as an important national resource.