Saitama to keep close watch on forestry purchases by foreigners

In order to better understand the scope of the purchase of forestry by foreign funds and to protect water sources, Saitama Prefecture is planning to introduce rules which will require land transactions to be reported in advance to authorities.

The proposal will target 18 cities and towns in the northern part of Saitama.  It will be submitted to the prefectural assembly this month, and may be enacted as early as October of this year.

Similar legislation is also going to be presented to the Diet session later this month, but it does not specifically mention foreign capital.Read more