In recent years, the construction of new social welfare facilities around Japan, particularly for recovering drug addicts, has often resulted in fierce opposition from local residents who view them as a threat to their neighborhoods.
The Kyoto chapter of the nonprofit Drug Addiction Rehabilitation Center (DARC) saw residents' protest movements arise over the building of a group home for recovering addicts in the city's Fushimi Ward after launching the project in 2018.
But despite the backlash, one residents association broke ranks to offer support, while a university student group has joined forces with recovering addicts at the facility on community projects, offering hope it will gain the trust of local residents.