The following is an English letter that I sent in July 2010 to Sepp Blatter, then President of FIFA.
At the time, a plan had suddenly emerged to construct a football stadium in the second-phase area of the Umeda North Yard, immediately north of Osaka Station.
I pointed out that Umeda was one of Japan’s foremost commercial and economic centres, comparable in importance to Ginza, Fifth Avenue in New York, Piccadilly Circus in London, the Champs-Élysées in Paris, and Via Condotti in Rome.
I protested against the folly of constructing a football stadium in the very heart of such an irreplaceable district.
I also pointed out that behind this proposal lay an attempt to prevent the second-phase area from being offered through a fair and internationally open bidding process.
Sixteen years have now passed.
Yet, rereading this letter at a time when Osaka and Umeda are attracting worldwide attention, I find that nothing I wrote has lost its significance.
On the contrary, the question of for whom, and for what purpose, a city’s most valuable land should be used has become even more important today.
The English letter reproduced below is the original text published in my 2011 book, The Turntable of Civilization.

Letter to Mr.J.Blatter (FIFA) 2010.7
There’s no stadium in front of Fifth Avenue.
There’s no stadium in front of Piccadilly Circus.
There’s no stadium in front of Champs-Elysées.
There’s no stadium in front of Via Condotti.
There are no countries or cities or men to think to build a soccer stadium in front of Forth Street in Ginza.
Umeda Station area in Osaka is the same place like all above.
In this place the liquidation national railway of Japan left a valuable space with deficits of thirty trillion yen that have been the burden on taxation on us.
Twenty years ago Osaka city had started a conference to decide the city planning with wisdoms in Osaka including a president of Osaka University or the famous company and so on.
This place is a very worthy, if you want to buy, you have to pay one billion yen per 3.3 square meters.
Several years ago that city planning was completed and published to the citizens of Osaka.
It is one of the best city planning that has two sections in Japanese history.
A few years ago there was a bid announcement about the first sections.
Named Kansai twelve combination of companies made a successful bid defeating two combinations of companies that were C-Ito & Mitui real-estate and Mori building company & the company of Mr. George Soros.
Though the company of Mr. George Soros decided to buy one billion yen per 3.3 square meters, they were obstructed.
Trough these thirty years Economy conditions of Osaka has been declined, so Named Kansai twelve combinations of companies obstructed them.
The ringleader of the Named Kanasai twelve was Miyauti who is the president of Orix co.
He was a member of economic Council of governments.
He exploited his privileges not only in this case but post office matter.
He schemed to get under the price of half billion yen and successes.
Two years ago, disregarding the start of construction they delayed it one year and half.
The citizens of Osaka were so surprised and disappointed heavily.
It was a great shock for me to pay taxes over thirty billion yen for Osaka city trough all of my real-estate business life.
Umeda and Ginza were the most worthy place for commerce, especially, Umeda has four big station including subway: one of the most traffic, railway, and the two terminals of private railways, so Umeda has big power in economics.
I believe the power of Umeda rebuild Osaka Economics with those decided city plan.
We hope to listen to the news of the bid announcement of the later section that will open fairly all over the world.
But a few weeks ago I was so surprised to watch the TV of NHK at 16:45.
At first the children of Mino o elementary school wrote it; Invite world cup for Osaka.
Then a lady who is manager of sports section of Osaka city hall appeared saying to grant the request of children, we will construct a soccer stadium at Umeda later section.
How crazy! How foolish!
Next day at first I called NHK Osaka branch to say they are pathetic excuse for a journalist to use children for a trick.
Then I asked to the sports section of Osaka city Hall, I was so surprised to hear the Mayor leads this!
Incredible! What it is!
The end of the day I found out everything of this case, by the way, what is this Mayor Hiramatu?
Several years ago it was published Osaka city hall has been embezzled a large sum of public money.
So there’s no one to stand for Mayor Election.
Unwillingly the Democratic Party of Japan put up Hiramatu who was petty announcer of local broadcast.
This case proved Hiramatu is the poorest Mayor in the history of Osaka city.
Incredibly he was a foolish man but he is going to commit a crime to kill Osaka city and to give incredible loss for us; Japanese taxpayer.
Mr. Joseph Blatter?
Do you build a soccer stadium in front of Fifth Avenue?
Do you build a stadium in front of Piccadilly Circus?
Do you build a stadium in front of Champs-Elysées?
Do you build a stadium in front of Via Condotti?
I found out the reason why they are going to do this incredible foolish idea.
They don’t want to do bid announcement for the later section to open the world.
They are afraid of appearing their sinister scheme in first section to make a bid announcement for the later section to open the world.
So suddenly they call you this place for world cup.
This is a heavy crime for Osaka city and Japanese Taxpayer.
If you will accept this sinister scheme, you will have a heavy crime too.
Besides there is a suitable place for soccer stadium in Osaka, it is the vacant lot of international exposition to be used.
Now there are foolish men to plot to invite Paramount Theme Park in here, though The USJ has been struggling with debts.
They want to meet you too.
These most ugly people that try to protect their own interests are going to build a soccer stadium in front of Fifth Avenue.
How foolish! How ugly people they are!
Mr. Joseph Blatter are not you?

Sixteen years after I sent this letter, this is Umeda, Osaka, as it stands today, captured through my own lens.