Developer Using Yakuza to Intimidate Residents

[dingosatemybaby]

I'm typing this from my J-wife's mother's place in Hiratsuka. J-wife's mom is telling her that a developer named Tokyo Tatemono is planning to build a 16-story condo next to her house. It's going to put the house into permanent shade, plus the condo's garbage collection area will be on the side of the condo nearest mom-in-law's house. Of course Hiratsuka city has no zoning regulations governing floor limits. TIJ. What's really getting dingo fried is the fact that the developer is apparently using yakuza-like thugs to do the negotiate with the existing residents opposed to the condo. Again, TIJ. Have any of you FG's been in a similar situation? I wish I could help me mum-in-law, but I guess you can't fight the power in Japan.
-dingo
-seriously pissed

[Buraku]

don't know where u could go ?
here is some background info

construction business in Japan is rife with the yakuza,

http://www.jref.com/forum/showthread.php?t=110&goto=nextnewest

http://forum.japantoday.com/Why_do_the_Japanese_cover_a_building_%25%25%25%25%25%25/m_136044/tm.htm

http://www.globalaffairs.org/forum//showthread.php?t=5357

http://www.japan-101.com/culture/yakuza.htm

[dingosatemybaby]

don't know where u could go ?
here is some background info

construction business in Japan is rife with the yakuza,

http://www.jref.com/forum/showthread.php?t=110&goto=nextnewest

http://forum.japantoday.com/Why_do_the_Japanese_cover_a_building_%25%25%25%25%25%25/m_136044/tm.htm

http://www.globalaffairs.org/forum//showthread.php?t=5357

http://www.japan-101.com/culture/yakuza.htm

Hi Buraku,
Thanks for the links. Certainly the yakuza involvement in the construction industry is one of Japan's biggest open secrets. I remember reading stories 20 years ago, waaaaay back when I was a uni student, about how developers in Japan use thugs to scare small landowners into selling their lots. And, the Japanese being a rather passive lot in general (a rap over the head with a rolled-up Sydney Morning Herald to dingo for his reckless generalizing), the thug tactic generally prevail. But FGs fight back, don't they? I'd like to no as a non-passive (in fact, damn urusai) FG what I can do to take on the developer. Any and all suggestions from you veteran FGs would be heartily welcome!

[khusam]

Something similar was going to happen in my neighborhood, but the local association was able to take it to court and have it stopped. The area has zoning laws in place to prohibit large buildings... but the initial approval was given, and they started building.

Now there's an abandoned building site with lots of decorative rusty machinery and half-started walls... and the local association is still camping out there every day to make sure nothing starts up again.

It was a lot of work, and now we have a dangerous eyesore there. I'm not sure if the original company can be pressured to clean it up.

So... if there's really no zoning laws there, I think you may be sol. You can ask for damages from reduced sunlight, but the law seems fuzzy. The best move may be to sell the house pronto... Or..

Purely hypothetically speaking, of course...Find one of the 'in-car-group-cookery' websites and tell them it's a great place to 'check out'. Not that I'd recommend you actually do that... but it would certainly reduce sales!

[Mulboyne]

Tokyo Tatemono is a well-connected developer. It is part of the Yasuda keiretsu (including Sompo and Himawari insurance companies) and has been listed on the stock exchange since after the war, although it has never been on a par with Mitsui, Mitsubishi and Sumitomo real estate companies.
They have filed to list their subsidiary, Tokyo Tatemono Real Estate Sales, which might be something you can use to embarass them but I'd imagine they have been here before.
If there are any activists in your mother-in-law's group they could check with residents in blocks next to Tokyo Tatemono properties to see what their experience was when the building were going up. Obviously, the fact that they are there means that construction was not stopped but you might get an idea about possible compensation or any flexibility they may have demonstrated in changing the new building specs. Here's a link to their apartment portfolio (Japanese):
http://www.apartments.jp/top.html

[dingosatemybaby]

Tokyo Tatemono is a well-connected developer. It is part of the Yasuda keiretsu (including Sompo and Himawari insurance companies) and has been listed on the stock exchange since after the war, although it has never been on a par with Mitsui, Mitsubishi and Sumitomo real estate companies.
They have filed to list their subsidiary, Tokyo Tatemono Real Estate Sales, which might be something you can use to embarass them but I'd imagine they have been here before.
If there are any activists in your mother-in-law's group they could check with residents in blocks next to Tokyo Tatemono properties to see what their experience was when the building were going up. Obviously, the fact that they are there means that construction was not stopped but you might get an idea about possible compensation or any flexibility they may have demonstrated in changing the new building specs. Here's a link to their apartment portfolio (Japanese):
http://www.apartments.jp/top.html

Many thanks, Mulboyne. I'll post to this thread any significant developments vis-a-vis the bastards.
-dingo
-still seething