Hokkaido Approves Massive Foreign Worker Housing Project Despite Concerns

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Hokkaido authorities have approved converting farmland in Kutchan Town to construct a large shared housing complex for around 1,200 foreign workers in the Niseko resort area. Niseko is one of the world’s top ski destinations.

The prefectural government said the developer’s plan met legal and environmental standards, with minimal impact on nearby farmland.

Still, the decision has stirred unease among residents. The broader Niseko region, including Kutchan, has faced recurring tensions over how to balance its growing foreign population with the fabric of local community life.

Ski resort in Niseko in December 2022 (@Soko Izumi)

According to the plan, 30 apartment buildings will be built on roughly 2.7 hectares of farmland about 700 meters southeast of JR Kutchan Station. Each building will be two to three stories high.

The town expects the complex to accommodate up to 1,200 foreign workers employed at local resorts during the winter season. That number is equivalent to nearly 10% of Kutchan’s population of about 14,000 as of August.

Approval Despite Resistance

The farmland, classified as “Type 3” and situated near the town center, is eligible for conversion if certain conditions are met.

In July, however, the town’s agricultural committee unanimously rejected the proposal, citing concerns over public safety, and submitted a statement opposing the plan to the Hokkaido authorities.

The prefectural committee later ruled the conversion “appropriate for approval.”

When the town submitted the final application to Hokkaido, it therefore took the unusual step of attaching a statement describing the conversion as “unavoidable.”

A group of local residents had submitted a petition opposing the plan to the prefectural government in September.

The project is being developed by Nisade Services, a Kutchan-based real estate company owned by a Singaporean investment firm.

The company says that the housing will primarily cater to foreign workers employed at ski resorts and lodging facilities situated approximately five kilometers from the site. It will also feature restaurants and bars.

Author: Kenta Shiraiwa, The Sankei Shimbun

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