HOKKAIDO, Sep 08 (News On Japan) –
A serious housing building plan is underway in Hokkaido’s Niseko space, one among Japan’s hottest locations amongst international residents. The undertaking, centered in Kutchan, a city with the nation’s fastest-growing international inhabitants, has stirred combined reactions amongst locals, with over 4,000 individuals signing a petition in opposition.
Town councilor Hidetoshi Sato pointed to the deliberate website, farmland the dimensions of 4 soccer fields with views of Mount Yotei, the place round 30 condo blocks are anticipated to rise. The undertaking would offer dwelling house for as much as 1,200 individuals—almost 10 % of Kutchan’s inhabitants.
Niseko has seen a pointy rise in international staff lately, significantly seasonal employees at ski resorts. A French employee at a neighborhood bar defined, “I’ve been in Niseko for about two years. I share a house with three others for 30,000 yen a month.” Nearby Kutchan, about 10 minutes by automobile, has additionally attracted many international residents, pushing costs for meals and lodging into so-called “inbound” ranges, with hamburgers exceeding 8,000 yen and sashimi platters promoting for 30,000 yen.
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Kutchan ranked first nationwide by way of development in international residents, gaining 833 extra in 2024 alone. As of January 2025, the quantity was almost 2,000 greater than two years earlier.
The developer insists the undertaking is “not specifically for foreign workers” however merely an condo advanced that naturally attracts international residents due to native labor demand. Sato rejected the declare, calling it “frankly, sophistry,” and urged the corporate to think about constructing in suburban areas with out close by neighbors and working shuttle buses to and from workplaces.
Some locals expressed worries over noise, rubbish, and the transient nature of winter-only residents. One resident stated, “At night, it feels unsafe to even sleep. They come for half a year, then leave when the snow melts.” Another voiced concern about disputes over noise and waste within the city heart. Opposition teams submitted 4,315 on-line signatures towards the undertaking to the Hokkaido authorities on September 2nd.
Yet not all residents oppose the plan. Some welcomed the thought, citing the city’s scarcity of housing and hovering rents—usually as excessive as 80,000 yen even for small residences. Others emphasised the advantages of international guests and seasonal staff in driving financial development, saying the neighborhood ought to discover methods to coexist.
The Hokkaido authorities is now reviewing an software to transform the farmland for residential use and is anticipated to determine on the allow by mid-October.
Source: FNN