Residents gripe about billionaire neighbor in Hawaii

Friday 03rd October, 06:50 AM JST

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Latest 15 of 51 Total Comments Show All

northlondon at 12:51 PM JST - 3rd October

Does taking care of a couple families by renting them properties undo all the other issues? Like ignoring public concern over his properties, imposing up on the community, all the real estate scamming?

What kind of logic are you using? You need to look at the whole picture and not just one corner of it.

I don't really see why this is a headline news story ? Aren't there more pressing issues around the world and probably even in Hawaii ? Residents gripe about a Japanese billionaire's run down properties in Hawaii ? Give me a break. Unkempt yards, broken walls and vermin ? Kids are getting stabbed to death in England/ a serial killer is up for his appeal in Tokyo/ the Mexico police force are kidnapping citizens for money/ a Serbian warlord was finally arrested etc, etc,etc.
tkoind2 at 01:15 PM JST - 3rd October

It is a headline because the guy is Japanese and Japanese news is about Japanese whatever...

Major world events are always ignored here in favor of some tiny story about something related to Japan.
DenshaDeGO at 01:25 PM JST - 3rd October

What's the problem? Why is the Japanese consulate being called in? Is this guy above the law or something?
franz75 at 02:09 PM JST - 3rd October

rich or poor, nice guy or bad character, if someone owns property and rent it out, you have to maintain certain standard that the guy is respecting.

DenshaDeGo: my guess is that he doesn't live in US. The only channel is through the consulate.
franz75 at 02:10 PM JST - 3rd October

... is not respecting ...
badge123 at 02:14 PM JST - 3rd October

yeah I'm a bit confused as what can the General Consul do, the guy has property on US soil, the people they should be complaining to are local government officials. Unless the guy is living elsewhere?
meanmutha at 02:56 PM JST - 3rd October

he's broke.
dennis0bauer at 03:14 PM JST - 3rd October

why do poor people always make trouble for rich people, get a job! (sarcasm mode)
kavikahi at 03:22 PM JST - 3rd October

he's broke.

it is possible
nandakandamanda at 03:25 PM JST - 3rd October

There is a hint of a big Y in this story, the diagonal slash on the cheek...
borscht at 12:19 AM JST - 4th October

Kavikahi seems to be under the impression that many rich people are rude mothers. I've met my share of millionaires (but no billionaires) - including a relative - and have found them to be very personable and friendly. To me. When I'm not threatening their livelihood or income. That doesn't mean they can't be rude mothers to other people or screw their neighbors to get property values down so they can snatch up cheap (relatively) houses.
sk4ek at 11:45 AM JST - 5th October

The City Council of Honolulu unfortunately knows nothing about international law, and tried to drag the General Counsel of Japan into this thinking they would have better luck getting a hold of Kawamoto--not realizing, of course, that no foreign government is going to get involved in what is strictly a business/private legal matter on foreign soil. The General Counsel, of course, turned the City Council down.

Kawamoto has a long history of creating elaborate schemes from afar, and then getting local lawyers and property managers to execute them. Unfortunately, his misplaced altruism (if that's what it is) usually causes more harm than it resolves, because he doesn't take into account local standards and regulations, and is too much of an absentee developer to personally shepherd his business schemes through to completion. It remains a mystery whether his real motivations are truly beneficient, but he has, over the years, remained consistent in his claims that he is working to better the lives of people in Hawaii. Why Hawaii, and why him, when he really spends so little time there? Who knows?

In his own country, he is a complete engima. Search on his name and all you'll find is references to his activities in Hawaii--his company has no web site, his many offices in Ginza are among some of the least well maintained, and for a real estate baron, compared to someone like Mr. Mori (of Mori Building fame) he has almost no public presence at all.

In Hawaii, at least, he has left a lot of frustrated, angry people in his wake (among them his former lawyer, whom I know personally, and his real estate manager). But I don't think anyone is really qualified to comment one way or another on his real motivations, political views, or moral standing.

All that aside, I believe his gains to be largely ill-gotten--achieved not through the creation of new value, or contributions to bettering the lives of anyone in Japan or Hawaii, but through rapacious speculation in downtown Tokyo real estate, mainly during the "bubble" years. One writer in Honolulu referred to his so-called charity efforts as being backed by "blood money" and thus both insincere and repugnant, comments which not only can't be substantiated, but probably overstate the case. Still, he's succeeded only in wearing out the aloha of the citizens there, and seems headed for full, Howard Hughes recluse mode. Personal appeals have failed, and legal action based on local regulations seems the only remaining alternative.
kavikahi at 04:33 PM JST - 5th October

borscht at 12:19 AM JST - 4th October Kavikahi seems to be under the impression that many rich people are rude mothers.

Rude mothers are possibly rude mothers, rich and or poor.

I usually don't fit under impressions.

How you come to such heretical conclusion, only your twisted self knows. You obviously haven't followed the posts.

In Hawaii, at least, he has left a lot of frustrated, angry people in his wake (among them his former lawyer, whom I know personally, and his real estate manager).

I know many whom have done little else.
HonestDictator at 07:05 AM JST - 7th October

Sounds like they need to involve the state government of Hawaii, not the Japanese consulate. Unless they're just trying to serve him a notice. But yeah, the state can handle this assuming how their property laws work.
xpompey8 at 01:25 AM JST - 8th October

Is this guy part of the Mori empire? You know, buy bits and pieces of the block, let it rundown or bulldoze them for parking lots. And when he owns the whole block, bulldoze and redevelop into the Kahala Hills Mori building.