What is the intention of MINNA PROJECT, a real estate company and architect from outside the prefecture on Minna Island, Okinawa, and a resort development on about 30% of the island?
On August 29, 2024, it was revealed that a resort development for the wealthy worth a total of 60 billion yen will be developed on Minna Island (Minashima), which belongs to Motobu Town in the northern part of the main island of Okinawa Prefecture. The development includes attracting foreign-affiliated hotels and developing a heliport connecting Naha Airport and Minna Island, and the partial opening of the hotel is scheduled for 2028. （©OCVB）
The name of the project is " MINNA PROJECT The catch phrase is "A new island story spun by everyone". It was developed by a real estate company in Osaka. Keihan Electric Railway Real Estate and a Tokyo-based architectural firm represented by architect Kunihiko Koike, which handles hotels and commercial facilities nationwide. Koike Design Works The company's group, Naha City's real estate company "ZEKKEI" is involved. The project will be divided into four phases, with approximately 150 rooms being constructed as an initial phase.
In addition, " " Yamawake Estate is in the process of raising funds for the acquisition of land related to this development plan, and plans to sell it to a developer after the acquisition. The company's official ambassador is former Japan national football team Keisuke Honda.
Minna Island has a circumference of 4.6 km and an area of 470,000 square meters, and although there are only 19 islanders (2020 census), diving and summer swimming are popular, and 60,000 tourists visit annually. There are two guesthouses operating on the island, but most tourists visit on day trips using regular boats from Toguchi Port on the main island.
ZEKKEI has acquired 130,000 square meters of former farmland, which is about 30% of the island's area. As of 2015, there is information that "about one-third of the land was acquired by a developer, but development permission was not granted and it is idle land", so it is thought that the problem of the Agricultural Land Law has been cleared this time and it has been approved by the government.
On the 31st, I spoke to a local tourism official, who said, "I first learned about the plan from a local newspaper report on the 29th. In addition, I am concerned about whether sufficient consideration is given to the natural environment, cultural preservation of the island, and safety measures in the event of a disaster. In addition, we are concerned about the balance between the availability of guest access for a 150-room hotel and the regular boats currently in operation for islanders and day trippers."
In addition, he said, "If the development plan is comfortable for local residents and leads to the sustainability of the island, I would like to expect it as a new model for tourism," and clarified his feelings on both the anxiety caused by the lack of information and the expectation of tourism promotion. Finally, he said, "Okinawa is established as a tourism-oriented prefecture ...", I leaked a complicated feeling.
When the project was announced on the 29th, there were objections such as "I want the island to be left alone" and "I am only thinking about making money" on SNS, and voices questioning the government's judgment such as "Why was permission granted?" On the other hand, there are also positive opinions with a rebuttal to the objections that "it is a decision of the islanders for the survival of the island" and "people who do not live on the island make a fuss to protect nature". However, I don't know if the general opinions of these SNS are in line with the delicate minds of each and every islander.
In Okinawa Prefecture, there is an example of a hot spring resort hotel plan on Taketomi Island, which was originally scheduled to open in 2025, but has been derailed due to opposition from the islanders. On Minna Island, "there is a Minna Island Revitalization Committee, and consensus is being formed to protect the lives of the islanders," according to a tourism official. Even if the islanders have agreed on the development of a resort for the wealthy on Minna Island at this time, there is a possibility that various issues will emerge as specific plans are revealed and development progresses.
Is the name "everyone" in the "MINNA PROJECT" just a reference to the island name "Minna", or is it intended to encompass the stakeholders of Minna Island at the same time? It will be interesting to see how the resort development by non-real estate companies and investment companies in Osaka and architects in Tokyo will affect Minna Island.
