Immigration Immigration debate stirs division in Hokkaido ski resort town

In the small town of Kutchan, near the internationally renowned Niseko ski slopes in Japan, a barren field once planted with potatoes has become a flashpoint for a national conflict over labour, tourism and immigration. On that plot of land, developers plan to construct lodging for up to 1,200 seasonal workers, most of whom will be foreign nationals. These labourers are needed to operate the area's resorts and construction sites. Residents, however, are petitioning the government to block the facility, citing concerns over safety and a perceived decline in social order. The tensions in Kutchan, on Japan's northern island of Hokkaido, underscore a dilemma for the country's booming $50 billion tourism sector, which is now its second-largest export after cars. Japan's population is shrinking and ageing rapidly, leaving many small towns, such as Kutchan, deserted. Tourist spending is helping to prop up the economy in Kutchan and the surrounding area. At the same time, the town lacks the workers needed to staff the hotels, resorts, and restaurants that cater to these visitors, meaning it has had no choice but to open its doors to an influx of foreign workers.

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Kutchan residents tell the local story of immigration like this: Foreigners began to arrive in the early 2000s when Australians discovered the area's powder snow. After the COVID-19 pandemic, wealthy developers from Hong Kong, Singapore, and China moved to the area and began purchasing land. More recently, the town has seen an increase in visitors and workers from Southeast Asia. "They are quite different to the Westerners and the rich people that we had seen before," said Yuka Nakano, 44, who started a petition with some 4,000 supporters to block the development of the seasonal worker lodging facility.

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