SAPPORO – A private zoo in Sapporo that is often introduced as “the most dangerous zoo in Japan” will close at the end of September, the zoo’s operator, Success-Kanko Corp, announced on its website on March 10.
The zoo, North Safari Sapporo, opened in July 2005 without a development permit and has been operating for nearly 20 years.
The zoo continued to expand in defiance of city guidance, and a total of 156 illegal buildings have been confirmed to date.
Following a decision by the city to issue an order to demolish all its facilities, the zoo submitted a work plan in February that stated it would “complete the removal by the end of 2029”.
The zoo is [located in a mountainous area](https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/japans-most-dangerous-zoo-in-sapporo-to-receive-closure-order) about 20km south-west of central Sapporo and was opened in July 2005. It has accommodation facilities and keeps and exhibits about 150 animal species, including lions, tigers and Asian black bears.
It is popular because visitors can directly interact with animals. It is often introduced in TV shows and travel magazines as the “most dangerous zoo in Japan” for allowing visitors to enter a cage and feed the tigers.
A building disposition order is meant to allow the authorities concerned to forcibly remove buildings not conforming to municipal urban development plans. If the party does not follow a finalised order, they will be subject to up to a year of imprisonment or a fine of up to 500,000 yen (S$4,460).
According to the municipal government, since the entire premises of the zoo are within an urbanisation control area, advance permission is required to construct buildings such as animal-rearing facilities.
In October 2004, before the zoo opened, the city confirmed construction of the zoo had begun without permission. The city gave an administrative direction to the zoo operator, Success-Kanko Corp, to obtain the necessary permission.
However, the company continued construction without following the direction and opened the zoo. It continued to expand the zoo, reaching up to about 150 buildings. The city has given many written and oral directions to the company. THE JAPAN NEWS/ ASIA NEWS NETWORK
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