The Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games will be held from July 24 to August 9, 2020, and from August 25 to September 6, 2020. During this period, an increase in sweltering days is expected, making heatstroke prevention a crucial issue. Professor Kenji Amagai from the Graduate School of Science and Technology has been researching and developing with the Tokyo Metropolitan Agriculture and Forestry Research Center to create cool outdoor spaces using portable greening technology, even on scorching hot days. The research and development started with a demonstration experiment conducted in Tatebayashi City, Gunma Prefecture, known for its high summer temperatures, where an artificial forest was created in 2012, incorporating the effects of mist to create a cool environment. The research results caught the attention of officials from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, leading to the development of portable greening benches for the year 2020. In addition to the collaboration between our university and the Tokyo Metropolitan Agriculture and Forestry Research Center, multiple companies, including forestry cooperatives, landscaping associations, and mist nozzle manufacturers, have participated in this industry-government-academia collaboration.

    From 2014 to 2016, he conducted demonstration experiments at Tokyo Big Sight. The results showed that while the atmospheric temperature could only be reduced by approximately 1°C even with the evaporative effect of mist, the black globe temperature (close to apparent temperature) could be reduced by more than 10°C, proving its effectiveness as a measure against heatstroke. Furthermore, development efforts were made to provide a cool environment for individuals using wheelchairs in preparation for the Paralympic Games. Therefore, this technology is expected to be utilized as an urban summer heat countermeasure even after the Olympic and Paralympic Games.