Blocked views of Japan’s Mount Fuji force developer to stop building project after outcry

The mountain has appeared in novels, artworks such as the “ukiyo-e” woodblock prints crafted by Hokusai, postage stamps, corporate logos and even the country’s banknotes.

It is so iconic to the Japanese that one of the country’s largest property companies has opted to demolish a virtually completed 10-storey apartment complex and take a multimillion yen loss because it was blocking views of the peak.

After a national outcry, Osaka-based Sekisui House Ltd apologised when it announced on June 11 that the Grande Maison Kunitachi Fujimi-Dori would be torn down.

“We would like to express our sincere apologies for the inconvenience and concern caused to the contractors of the condominium, the residents of the surrounding area and all the other parties concerned,” the company said in a statement provided to This Week in Asia.

The project was carried out “in accordance with legal procedures and there are no legal deficiencies,” the company said, adding that extensive discussions were held with the local government of Kunitachi City, a suburb of western Tokyo, and nearby residents before construction began.

“However, as the project neared completion, we realised that the building’s impact on Mount Fuji was becoming more and more serious,” it said.

Pictures in the media show the view of the 3,776-metre mountain rising majestically about 100km to the west along Fujimi Dori before the start of construction. With construction almost completed, photos taken from the same position show that half of Mount Fuji is now obscured.

“We take the circumstances of this incident very seriously and are committed to preventing the recurrence of similar incidents,” Sekisui House said. The company has not said how much the cancellation of the project will