Japanese people living on Park Island

On the ferry coming from Park Island to Central, I got speaking to a man next to me, and quickly discovered he was Japanese. Of course the first thing we spoke about was the terrible earthquake, and the nuclear crisis. He was from Kobe, so had experienced a huge earthquake in the past.

We got talking about why he moved to HK etc, and also that it seems that more people from Japan are moving to Park Island. He told me that some of the Japanese people on Park Island have been there since the very first phases were launched, and that gradually other Japanese had also decided they like to live there. He said that apart from a developing presence of Japanese on Park Island, many Japanese also like to live on HK island, in Tai Koo Shing (which is near Causeway Bay).

As to why Japanese came to Park Island, he said that the biggest attraction is the cleanliness, the air quality, and the high quality living style, all of which Japanese like. He also said Japanese like the community feeling on the island. Also, he has a small pet dog (a Chiwawa) so he thinks Park Island is a good place for that.

He said that some Japanese people actually need to do work in China, but rather than living in China, they will stay on Park Island and fly out or travel over as needed. He knows for sure that during the crisis in Japan, more Japanese will move to HK, perhaps for a while until things settle down and start recovering in Japan.

I was curious as to whether there was anything he did not like about Park Island. "I NEVER eat at the Japanese restaurants" he said. "I can reccomend you please better do not eat there", he added in polite Japanese style. "If we want to have good Japanese food, we need to go to HK Island".