In Japan's only bankrupt city, the world's most expensive fruit spreads seeds of hope

Kiyomichi Noda, CEO of Hokuyupack, looking elated after winning the season's first auction on May 25, 2023. - PHOTO: COURTESY OF HOKUYUPACK

Yubari is a city only in name, with few of the modern amenities associated with urban living: There are no train services, no shopping malls, and just a few clinics in an area the size of Singapore.

It is Japan’s only bankrupt municipality among the country’s 1,741 precincts, having declared insolvency in 2007 after raking up more than 35 billion yen (S$315 million) in debt.