Exposed asbestos still a concern across Japan
According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) there are 15,972 large-scale privately-owned buildings across Japan with asbestos sprayed insulation on the ceilings and walls. Of those, only 30%, or 4,767 buildings have had the asbestos either removed or treated.
While the number of buildings with exposed asbestos has dropped by about 14% since 2005, the MLIT is urging the owners of such buildings to take action.Read more
Groundbreaking ceremony for Japan’s first 60-storey apartment building
Developers of a 60-storey apartment building in Shinjuku held a groundbreaking ceremony on May 12.
The high-rise condominium will be the tallest apartment building in Japan (based on the number of floors) when complete in 2017. At 208.97m tall, it will be just 43cm shy of the tallest apartment building in the country - The Kitahama in Osaka.Read more
Residential yields and vacancy rates in Minato-ku - May 2014
According to real estate listing site Homes, the average gross yield on an apartment in Minato-ku in May was 5.3%, down 0.1 points from April. The average gross yield across Tokyo was 7.1%, down 0.1 points.Read more
Japan Pearl Center at risk of demolition
The owners of the Japan Pearl Center building, a well-known modernist building in Kobe’s old foreign settlement area, recently announced that they are considering demolishing the 62-year old building.
The four-storey building was designed by architect Yoshimitsu Mitsuyasu completed in 1952. It was built by Hyogo Prefecture as a centre for the local pearl industry. It was fitted out with fluorescent lighting, which was very new at the time. The building survived the 1995 Great Hanshin earthquake which devastated much of the city. Read more
Muji’s latest home designed for narrow urban spaces
Muji House announced their latest offering - a 3-storey house designed for small blocks of land in urban areas.
The target occupants are young couples and families who want the convenience of living in an urban area.Read more
Tokyo’s bayside apartment market is boiling, but for how long?
The brand new high-rise apartment market in Tokyo’s bayside area has caught Olympic fever. Development of large-scale condominiums and other infrastructure projects are speeding up, as is demand from excited buyers.
The man-made islands saw a sharp drop in popularity following the 2011 Tohoku disaster when the earthquake caused liquefaction on some islands and left a lot of residents trapped in their apartments or trapped in the lobbies after elevators shut down. The risks of living on reclaimed land were quickly forgotten as soon as it was announced that Tokyo would host the 2020 Summer Olympics and Harumi would host the Athlete’s Village.Read more