Biodiversity

Recognition of issues and response policy

As business activities of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries depend on the rich natural environment where various living organisms interact, we recognize that biodiversity conservation is an important environmental issue not only in our own business but also in the entire supply chain. As real estate development is particularly closely related to the natural environment and ecosystems, we will carry out environmental impact assessments and obtain environmental certification in compliance with laws and regulations, and will consider creating green spaces and waterfront spaces and reducing the impact on ecosystems in each area where our business is involved, and will work to create urban and community development and operate businesses that are safe and comfortable to live in, thereby striving to preserve and restore the natural environment. We will utilize the knowledge we have gained through our business along areas served by Tokyu’s railway lines to work on town urban and community development takes into consideration the conservation of biodiversity and the reduction of impacts even in developments outside of our line areas, such as in regional cities and overseas.

Initiative Targets

Our company's "Environmental Vision 2030" sets out 11 specific actions to be implemented by 2030. One of these actions, "Coexisting with Nature," is related to a recycling-based society, and states that at our business locations, "We will take into account nature and biodiversity, and provide a living environment that enables interaction with the natural environment.," and that "we will conserve nature and biodiversity, forest rehabilitation, green infrastructure, environmental assessments, acquisition of environmental certifications, sustainability-minded material procurement and product sales."

Consideration for Biodiversity

Environmental impact assessment

When the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries undertake new developments, such as railway and real estate businesses, we conduct legally required environmental impact assessments in the process of applying for development and building permits.Specifically, we check whether there are any trees or other natural environments (such as endangered species) that should be preserved or protected in the development target area, and carry out preservation as necessary.We also take measures and greenery based on laws and ordinances related to nature conservation, and ensure that the layout of plantings and the selection of tree species are in harmony with the natural environment around the development area.

Restoring and conserving Biodiversity

Initiatives at Futako Tamagawa Rise

Futako Tamagawa Rise is a complex (total development area approx. 11.2 ha) consisting of commercial facilities, offices and high-rise residential buildings adjacent to Futako Tamagawa Station (Setagaya-ku, Tokyo) on Tokyu Den-en-toshi Line and Oimachi Line. The following initiatives are being undertaken in the Futako Tamagawa Rise II-a block. These initiatives have earned the building an AAA rating from the JHEP Certification.

1) Urban and community development with the natural environment

The site is located on the north side of the Tama River, and is surrounded by the Musashino Plateau, the Kokubunji Cliff Line, and Todoroki Valley. In order to restore and preserve the natural environment from before development, the landscape plan is based on the idea of an "ecomuseum" that aims to connect the life in the area and create a natural environment, and a rooftop garden with a green space ratio of over 40% of the site is arranged. In particular, aiming to "create a space rooted in the community", a planting plan is being made using local seeds and seedlings from the Tama River basin that incorporate wild plants and trees found in the surrounding area, creating a space that connects the ecosystem of the Tama River adjacent to the site.

2) Learning from the local natural environment

The vast rooftop garden, covering approximately 6,000 ㎡, was conceived based on the idea that "excellent knowledge is nurtured by abundant nature," and includes an area that recreates the banks of the Tama River, where, in collaboration with researchers, Aster kantoensis, a plant representative of the banks of the Tama River, have been planted. The rooftop garden is not only a place of relaxation for local residents and facility users, but also serves as a place of learning where visitors can experience the local natural environment and ecosystem through a variety of events.

Biotope "Killifish Pond"
Biotope "Kilfish Pond"

A mother and her ducklings swimming in a pond
A mother and her ducklings swimming in a pond

Development of the biodiversity model district park "Miyamae Utsukushinomori Park"

We have been developing the "the Tama Den-en-toshi area" area along Tokyu Den-en-toshi Line Line since 1959. The "Inukura District Land Readjustment Project," completed in 2006, is located in Kawasaki City, approximately 1 km from the north exit of Tama-Plaza Station, and development of this 18-hectare area was carried out with "consideration for the natural environment" as one of the basic policies.
The area is part of the source of the Yagami River, which is part of the Tsurumi River system, and the rice fields, well-maintained by the landowners, are home to fireflies and loaches. Based on this, the preservation of habitats for rare species was prioritized, and in consultation with local residents and conservation groups, and with the cooperation of the local elementary school, Miyamae Utsukushinomori Park was developed as a model district park for Biodiversity. The park was transferred to Miyamae Ward, Kawasaki City after the land readjustment project was completed.

Greening at Tokyu Hospital

Tokyu Hospital, located above Ookayama Station on Tokyu Meguro Line and Oimachi Line *1, has planted large amounts of greenery on its walls and rooftop in an effort to blend in with the surrounding environment. In particular, wires *2 have been stretched across the south and west walls, with 4,200 ivy plants of seven varieties wrapped around them. This greening reduces direct sunlight and cuts down on electricity consumption in the interior space. It also reduces heat dissipation from the building, helping to prevent global warming. As a hospital that contributes to the local community, we will continue to cultivate greenery with an eye to the next 10 years and beyond.

  • *1​ ​This is Japan's first "station hospital" directly connected to a station.
  • *2​ ​The spacing between the wires is determined based on predicted ivy growth 10 years from now.

Dialogue with Local Community

Tokyu Line Greening Campaign

Since 1959, Tokyu Corporation has been involved in land readjustment and housing development projects in the Tama Den-en-toshi area, which is located along Tokyu Den-en-toshi Line. In order to promote greening in the residential areas that we have developed, we have conducted the "Tokyu Line Greening Campaign" every year from 1972 to 2011, in which we gifted seedlings to residents along the line. Over the course of approximately 40 years, we have distributed a total of 223,000 seedlings.

Mido*Link Action

The "Mido*Link" action is an activity that supports community building through "Urban and community development and greening" by supporting particularly excellent plans from among plans for local town development and greening activities submitted through public solicitation. This activity, which began in 2012, is an evolution of the "Urban and community development Greening Campaign," which was a gift of seedlings that was carried out from 1972 to 2011.
We will support each group selected by our screening process with items worth 100,000 to 1 million yen, taking into consideration the scale of the project. Through these activities, we aim to link the "Urban and community development and greening" efforts, making the town even more "rich and vibrant," and connecting it to the future together with the local community.

River basin environmental conservation activities

In 1974, the Tama River, which at the time ran through the heart of our business area, was suffering from serious water pollution problems due to the rapid population concentration that accompanied rapid economic growth. We therefore felt it was our important responsibility to purify the environment of the Tama River basin, and established the Tokyu Foundation for Environmental Purification to conduct water quality surveys of the Tama River and provide research grants to researchers. The water quality of the Tama River gradually improved thereafter, and by the 1980s it had almost regained its former clarity. The foundation was later renamed the Tokyu Environmental Foundation, and has since provided grants for a wide range of research, not only on water quality, but also on environmental conservation and improvement of the Tama River basin through the following projects:

  • Research Grant Program: Implementing an environmental grant program for environmental conservation and improvement of the Tama River and its basin
  • Activity support project: Support and subsidy for public lectures, seminars, events, etc. related to environmental restoration of the Tama River and its basin, and presentation of the Tokyu Foundation Social Contribution Environmental Academic Award
  • Awareness-raising activities: Publication of "Tama River Foundation News" and environmental education supplementary textbook "Welcome to the Tama River" and distribution of the book free of charge to elementary schools in the river basin

In 2019, the Tokyu Environmental Foundation was merged with the Tokyu International Student Scholarship Foundation and the Gotoh Memorial Foundation to form the Tokyu Foundation. We will continue to contribute to solving social issues while protecting the environment in the Tama River basin.

Biodiversity certification

JHEP Certification

Block II-a of Futako Tamagawa Rise, a commercial and residential complex jointly developed by our company and Tokyu Land Corporation, received the highest AAA rating in 2014 from the Japan Habitat Evaluation and Certification Program (JHEP Certification), the only Biodiversity evaluation and certification program in Japan, run by the Ecosystem Conservation Foundations-Japan, a public interest incorporated foundation.
Futako Tamagawa Rise is a complex (total development area approximately 11.2 hectares) consisting of commercial facilities, offices, and high-rise residential buildings adjacent to Futako Tamagawa Station (Setagaya Ward, Tokyo) on the Tokyu Tokyu Den-en-toshi Line toshi Line and Oimachi Line, and the Futako Tamagawa Rise II-a block has been evaluated and certified.

ABINC Certification

Dresser Chuo-rinkan (Yamato City, Kanagawa Prefecture), which we participated in and developed as a business owner, has been recognized for its efforts to create an environment that blends in with the surrounding environment and allows residents to have a friendly relationship with living creatures, and has received the ABINC certification (apartment complex version).
We have created a large green space on the premises to create a mixed forest, and by selecting a wide variety of plants (72 species, approximately 30,000 trees) that provide food for birds and insects (butterflies), we have provided a space for residents to come into contact with nature. We have also taken care to conserve water by using wood chips and creating rainwater infiltration trenches.

Biodiversity Audit

The II-a block of the Futako Tamagawa Rise complex received a AAA rating in 2014 under the Japan Health and Environmental Protection Program (JHEP) biodiversity assessment and certification system run by the Ecosystem Conservation Foundations-Japan. Renewal audits are conducted every five years, and the block underwent its first renewal audit in 2019, and as a result it continued to receive a AAA rating.