In Japan’s ski hub, deep snow can’t hide gripes, inflation and polarisation

Beneath the powder snow at internationally popular Japanese ski resort Niseko, anxiety is mounting among residents over soaring prices and a massive influx of overseas workers.At a time when Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is talking tough on immigration, upscale Niseko has never been more popular with seasonal workers, investors and skiers from across the globe.The snow “is the best in the world”, said Gideon Masters, a 29-year-old Australian tourist.“It’s just soft, powder fluff. You can pick it up with your bare hands, it doesn’t even feel cold … It’s just a shame that it’s become so populated,” he said at the foot of the slopes, snowboard in hand.Built in the 1960s on the northern island of Hokkaido, the resort began attracting foreigners, mainly Australians, in the 1990s and became a popular destination after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001 for those wanting to avoid the United States.They gradually opened more shops and acquired property, and were later joined by Asian investors from Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore, among others, pushing land prices ever higher.