羊蹄山の麓で発覚した“大規模な違法伐採”　批判は外国人バッシングへと発展…土地問題に社会や行政はどう向き合うべきか【テレメンタリー】

"The illegal logging was carried out by Chinese nationals." The story spread rapidly, becoming a wave of public outrage. Kutchan Town, Hokkaido. During the ski season, many tourists flock here in search of powder snow. Last June, large-scale illegal logging was discovered at the foot of Mount Yotei, a symbolic landmark of the town. The operators were a real estate company and a construction company from Sapporo. The president of the real estate company was a Chinese man, and the land belonged to them. Without permission from the prefecture, they cut down approximately 3.9 hectares of forest, far exceeding the regulations, and began construction of a villa. Further violations of the law were subsequently revealed, and the internet was flooded not only with criticism of the operators but also with bashing of foreigners. The House of Councillors election began amidst this chaotic situation. In the Hokkaido constituency, the focus of attention was a male candidate, a former Kutchan town councilor, who had been quick to address this issue. Running for the Sanseito party, which advocates "Japanese First," he garnered broad support by advocating for restrictions on land acquisition by foreign capital, and many people attended his speeches in central Sapporo. Although the result was a close call, he came within approximately 8,000 votes of the winning line. The spread of resentment towards foreigners did not subside even after the election, escalating into recall demonstrations criticizing Governor Suzuki with slogans such as "Don't sell land to China." This unprecedented situation saw large numbers of participants every week. Amidst this, the Chinese company president at the center of the controversy gave his first television interview. After apologizing in front of the camera, he claimed that "the Japanese contractor he hired cut down the trees without permission." The story of "illegal logging by foreigners" gradually began to waver… Land issues stimulate people's nationalism. One wrong move in response could lead to a serious "division" between residents and foreigners. What should local communities and the government do to prevent new conflicts from arising? Narrator: Sayaka Mori (HTB Announcer) Production: Hokkaido Television Broadcasting #IllegalLogging #MountYotei #KutchanTown [Tele-mentary] A documentary program jointly produced by 24 TV Asahi affiliated companies nationwide. Each station takes turns producing the program each week, creating it from their own unique perspective. *Broadcast times vary by region. Please see the website for details. https://www.tv-asahi.co.jp/telementary