Japanese-Estonian clashes over real-estate

TALLINN- Japanese businessmen are looking to expand. In Estonia. One of the plans is tobuild a retirement village for older Japanese. Already the various companieshave accrued excited investors, despite hearty opposition from the localpopulace.  

According to news source Bonjour l'Estonie, the Japanese business man,Toshio Kawabe and new investor Yoshiaki Misawa are not only interested in plansfor the town of Virumaabut also Rakvere.

The representative of Toshio Kawabe, Erja Jarvis, was quoted by thePostimees as saying "Misawa has investors, who are interested in investing, andnot all are interested in only buying land, but also in buying the enterprisesshares."

Toshio Kawabe, recently paid a visit to Rakvere with Yoshiaki Misawa, aregular investor to Kawabe's projects, most interested in investing in theVirumaa project.

On the problems regarding constructing the Japanese retirementvillage, Kawabe said that everything takes too long and delays make relegatinghis finances a problem.

"We have frozen the plans about Hõbeda village, because from therethe opposition was greatest. We will not act any further there," added Kawabe'srepresentative.

The locals in nearby Vohnja and Hõbeda townships have protested therecreation village since the beginning. They are concerned over the damage to socialand natural environmental aspects. However all this doesn't seem to faze Kawabeand his plans who plans to go ahead despite difficulties.