Grosvenor purchases Roppongi Arents

February 10, 2012Roppongi Apartments,Roppongi Arents,GrosvenorReal Estate News,All,Tokyo

Grosvenor, an international property development group, announced that they purchased Roppongi Arents from Japan Tobacco in October 2011. JT had listed the building for sale at the end of 2010.

Roppongi Arents is a luxury residential apartment building built in 2003. The 4400 sqm site adjoins the Roppongi Hills development. Apartments range in size from 88.45 to 288.77 sqm (951 ~ 3107 sqft) and can be rented for between 470,000 and 2,200,000 Yen/month.Read more

by Zoe Ward

Saitama to keep close watch on forestry purchases by foreigners

February 9, 2012Chinese property buyers in Japan,Saitama PrefectureLand,Real Estate News,All

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

by Zoe Ward

The difference between the listing price and sale price of apartments in 2011

February 8, 2012japan apartment priceMarket Information,All

Based on apartment transaction data from 2011, Tokyo Kantei have provided details on the difference between the asking price and realized sales price of second-hand apartments in greater Tokyo and the Kansai region. It is quite common for an apartment on the secondary market to sell below the listing price.Read more

by Zoe Ward

New earthquake resistant certification in Tokyo

February 7, 2012Earthquake Information,Real Estate News,All

The Tokyo government is introducing a new certification system for residential buildings that can continue to be habitable after a large earthquake. Developers and building association unions can apply for recognition starting in April this year. If a building has the certification, it is thought that the apartments will be easier to market by developers, but actual construction costs will be higher which may result in a higher selling price.Read more

by Zoe Ward

Osaka sees first net inflow of new residents since 1973

February 5, 2012Osaka,Japan populationAll,Osaka,2011 Tohoku Disaster

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications released information on the migration movements within Japan in 2011 using data from the basic resident registers. Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima Prefectures each saw a net outflow as residents moved out of the disaster-struck areas. The number of residents moving out exceeded the number of residents moving in to these three prefectures by 41,226. This is the first time since 1970 that the number has exceeded 40,000 residents.Read more

by Zoe Ward

Growing concern over Tokyo's shortage of emergency evacuation centers

February 5, 2012Earthquake Information,Living in Tokyo,All

  • 1.3 million residents will be turned away
  • 2.39 million residents will lose their homes
  • 4.48 million residents will be stranded until transportation services resume

Tokyo City is currently unable to provide enough emergency accommodation for the temporary refugees that would not be able to return home in the event of a magnitude 7 earthquake hitting Tokyo.Read more

by Zoe Ward

Residents suing Mitsui over liquefaction damage

February 4, 2012Liquefaction,Urayasu City,Chiba Prefecture,LawsuitsReal Estate News,All,2011 Tohoku Disaster

Approximately 32 residents from Urayasu City, Chiba, are suing Mitsui Fudosan for 700 million Yen after their townhouses were damaged by liquefaction during the Tohoku earthquake.Read more

by Zoe Ward