Transcript

SACHA PFEIFFER, HOST:

Have you ever cringed when a new building goes up in your neighborhood and blocks a nice view?

MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:

Yep, sure have. And it happened recently in a suburb of Tokyo. A 10-story residential building went up, and neighbors immediately complained that it obstructed their view of famous Mount Fuji, the tallest peak in Japan. It's considered a sacred mountain.

PFEIFFER: What happened next might surprise you. The developer apologized and acknowledged that the new construction has had a, quote, "significant impact on the landscape," and then it said it will tear the building down.

KELLY: That even though its 18 condo units have already been sold. Owners were scheduled to move in soon, so the developer says it will compensate them or help them find other housing. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

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