Stadium where Babe Ruth played in Tokyo is at center of disputed park redevelopment plan

Zoning changes to allow high-rise buildings in the area were made around 2013 by the Tokyo government when the city won the bid for the 2020 Olympics. “The process of rezoning the area lacked transparency and democratic procedure and constitutes an illegal abuse of the governor’s discretion in urban planning decisions,” the open letter said. In addition to serving two decades ago as prime minister, he is the former president of the Japan Rugby Football Union and also served as the president of the 2020 Olympic organizing committee until he was forced to resign after making sexist comments about women.