Inzai City’s data center boom boosts tax revenues and land values
Inzai City in Chiba is experiencing a data center rush and a doubling in city tax revenues as major operators set up shop in the once-sleepy bed town. The rapid influx has led to the Chiba New Town station area, in Inzai, being nicknamed ‘DC Ginza’.Read more
Miyagi golf course sale draws opposition and potential criminal complaint
Plans to convert a golf course in Kami Town, Miyagi Prefecture, into a mega solar farm have drawn opposition and allegations of fraudulent misrepresentation by the initial buyer.Read more
Just how unpopular are fixed-term leases?
If you are investing in multifamily assets in Japan, you’re probably thinking about the potential to raise rents in the near future. But, Japanese tenancy laws do not allow unilateral rental increases for standard, renewable leases. There is the option of fixed-term leases, but how popular are they?Read more
Offshore buyers acquire 134ha of forest in 2023
In 2023, foreign funds and non-resident foreigners acquired 134 hectares of forest land across Japan. Approximately 74% of that total was around the Niseko and Rusutsu ski resort areas in Hokkaido.Read more
Tokyo Office Rentals: Pandemic-Era Insights by Building Size
Office rental data published by Sanko Estate illustrates how different sized buildings fared during the pandemic. Given the overwhelming number of small and medium sized companies in Tokyo, this can impact the sub-sectors of the office market in different ways.Read more
Foreigners acquire 90ha of farmland in Japan in 2023
Foreigners and potentially foreign-directed domestic companies acquired 90.6 hectares of farmland in Japan last year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. But, the majority of those acquisitions were made by foreign resident farmers, not offshore funds.Read more
Luxury rental apartment project near Canal City paused
Plans for a luxury mixed-use development next-door to Fukuoka’s Canal City might be put on hold due to a labor shortage and rising construction costs. The now-closed Canal City Hakata East Building opened in 2011 as a retail complex. Initially, tenants included many international fast fashion brands.Read more