Tokyo's Tree Canopy Cover Drops to 7.3% in 2022 From 9.2% in 2013, Against Global Trend

According to Nikkei, Tokyo's tree canopy cover (the proportion of land covered by tree branches, trunks and leaves) fell from 9.2% in 2013 to 7.3% in 2022, representing a loss of approximately 12 square kilometers of shaded area during the period—roughly equivalent to 250 large baseball fields.

The decline contrasts with global efforts to expand urban tree cover to combat climate change-related summer temperature rises. By comparison, Phoenix, Arizona, despite being surrounded by desert, maintains a tree canopy cover of 11% as of 2024, surpassing Tokyo's current level.