Construction Proceeded Despite Residents' Opposition Over Scenic and View Rights Infringement
Demolition Begins One Month Before Move-In
Controversy Erupts Over Demolition of Completed Apartment Complex
In Japan, a construction company has decided to dismantle a nearly completed mansion (a building concept similar to an apartment in Korea) scheduled for occupancy next month, sparking controversy. From the early stages of construction, there was strong opposition from residents and the city due to the mansion blocking views of Mount Fuji, and ultimately, unable to overcome this opposition, the company has begun the dismantling process. Opinions are divided within Japan as well, ranging from questioning whether scenery can be a reason for dismantling to agreeing that infringing on a region’s prideful landscape is indeed problematic.
On the 10th, the Asahi Shimbun reported that the mansion "Grand Maison Kunitachi Fujimi Dori (通り·street)" built in Kunitachi City, Tokyo, is finally entering the dismantling phase. A Kunitachi city official stated, "On the 4th, the construction company Sekisui House filed a business termination report."
Construction of this mansion began in January last year. It is a 10-story apartment building planned to house 18 households. Located a 10-minute walk from JR Chuo Line Kunitachi Station, it was noted as a newly sold mansion entering Fujimi Dori for the first time in 10 years.
However, conflicts with residents arose from the planning stage during construction. Fujimi Dori, where the mansion is located, is famous for its shops and houses lining both sides of the street with a view of Mount Fuji in the center. Initially, the construction company planned to build an 11-story mansion, but in 2021, during a community development review meeting involving residents, opposition arose that a solitary mansion would block the view, leading to an announcement that the mansion would be reduced to 10 stories. The following year, the review committee stated, "We judge that the construction company has responded to some extent," but added, "However, a new alternative is needed in terms of continuity with the surrounding residential area." The tall mansion was also infringing on the neighboring residents’ view rights.
In response, two meetings were held for dialogue between residents and the construction company. Residents expressed their desire for the building height to be "lowered to a 4-story building" and suggested "restricting the building area to about half of the current plan," while the construction company countered that "this would lead to business viability pressure," resulting in discussions reaching an impasse. Ultimately, judging that further reconciliation of differences was impossible, the meetings were discontinued, and the construction company proceeded with building the 10-story mansion as planned.
A photo that went viral on Japan's X (formerly Twitter). It compares the view of Mount Fuji from Kunitachi Station before the mansion construction and the view of Mount Fuji blocked after the construction began. (Photo by TBS)
However, confusion has intensified as news emerged that dismantling work will begin again just before completion. The Asahi Shimbun quoted residents in an interview saying, "Until now, we opposed the construction, but since the work had already progressed, we resigned ourselves to it," and added, "But suddenly dismantling it is incomprehensible. If it was going to be dismantled, it should not have been built at all. Neither the construction company nor the city has provided a proper explanation of the circumstances."
Currently, neither the construction company nor the city has offered any clear explanation. Among Japanese netizens, opinions are divided, ranging from "They need to explain why they want to remove it despite the costs of dismantling and contract penalties. If such scenery is a problem, houses could not be built anywhere else," to "The view of Mount Fuji from Kunitachi Station is a source of pride for citizens. This is a far more serious issue than previous apartment view problems. Since the construction company itself ruined the scenery, this is a natural course of action."
The construction company Sekisui House explained the reason for halting the project as "due to insufficient review of the impact on the surroundings of the building," but also stated, "We had complied with various laws, including Kunitachi City's landscape ordinance." Since then, without further comment, they have only expressed, "We take this matter very seriously. We want to reexamine the review process regarding the impact on the surroundings and make every effort to prevent recurrence."
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