High-Priced Mountain Left Unused for 27 Years

Aichi Prefecture in Japan is seeking private-sector proposals for a 144 hectare mountain site in Nishio that has been idle for 27 years. The land was purchased for 5.5 billion yen in 1999 to support construction of the Chubu Centrair International Airport, but the plan was abandoned when the airport decided to obtain soil from other locations instead.

The prefecture has since spent about 15 million yen per year managing the land but has found no viable use for it. Local residents have offered suggestions ranging from turning the site into a park or educational facility to using it for a hospital or industrial park. However, the mountain's status as a protected forest and its steep terrain have complicated potential development plans. The prefecture is now soliciting private ideas for the property's future use.