HOKKAIDO, Dec 06 (News On Japan) - A large-scale solar project planned near the Kushiro Wetland in Hokkaido is facing renewed backlash after the developer offered local residents what it described as a “beautification cooperation payment,” prompting accusations that the company is trying to buy consent for the construction.
The project is one of several megasolar installations planned in Kushiro by Japan Ecology, an Osaka-based developer that was recently issued administrative guidance by the Hokkaido government for insufficient surveys at a separate construction site in the city’s Hokuto district. The latest plan targets an area in the Showa district on the southern side of the wetland, adjacent to a residential neighborhood, where the company intends to install roughly 2,000 solar panels.
Residents say they are concerned about the impact on the environment, including rare species that inhabit the Kushiro Wetland, as well as potential risks to their living conditions. One neighborhood association representative said an endangered white-tailed eagle pair had been perched on a tree scheduled for removal, adding that the initial plan called for no shading panels, only solar panels and fencing, which could pose a fire hazard from reflected light.
As opposition intensified, the neighborhood association received an email from Japan Ecology offering to pay the group 2 million yen in exchange for signing an agreement to support the project. The funds were described as a “beautification cooperation payment” that would be transferred to the association’s bank account.
Association members have rejected the proposal outright. One representative said the offer amounted to using money to silence opposition, adding that accepting it would give the company grounds to demand cooperation. Another expressed concern that taking the payment would undermine the community’s ability to voice objections later.
Experts on megasolar development say such payments are effectively compensation for inconvenience. According to Takeyasu Suzuki, professor emeritus at the University of Yamanashi, developers often offer these payments to secure local approval, with around 1 million yen per district per year considered typical. He cautioned that accepting the money could make further opposition difficult.
The neighborhood association has made clear that it will continue to oppose the construction and sees no option but to rely on municipal or national authorities to intervene. Japan Ecology aims to begin construction as early as December.
Source: 北海道ニュースUHB
