Major Japanese developer Sekisui House Ltd. said Monday that it will demolish a nearly completed condominium in western Tokyo, just weeks before transfer to purchasers, after nearby residents complained the building partially blocks the view of Mt. Fuji.
Sekisui House, based in Osaka, said it decided to take down the 10-story, 18-unit condominium in Kunitachi, built along a street known for the view of the iconic 3,776-meter peak, due to "insufficient consideration for the impact on the scenery."
The rare move came despite the developer having held meetings with the residents on the matter and made changes to the structure from the initial plan, such as reducing the number of floors from 11 and lowering the height of each floor.
"We were aware of the (local) culture that values scenery, but we failed to consider it adequately. We also apologize to the contracting parties," a Sekisui House representative said, vowing efforts to prevent a recurrence.
Construction of the condominium, about a 10-minute walk from JR Kunitachi Station, started in January 2023. Most of the units were sold for around 70 million yen ($446,000) to 80 million yen.
Sekisui House reported to the Kunitachi municipal government its decision to cancel the project on Tuesday. The company said it would book construction costs and dismantling fees as extraordinary losses.
