New brand moves into historic hotel in Otaru
Boutique ryokan developer and operator Hoshino Resorts has taken over a bankrupt hotel in Otaru, Hokkaido, with plans to re-open it this winter under their OMO brand.
Crowdfunding for Mitaka's most famous apartment building
The Reversible Destiny Lofts MITAKA (In Memory of Helen Keller) has started a crowdfunding campaign to raise money for repairs to the iconic apartment building.
Real estate assets under management hit highest level in history
Institutional investors both domestic and foreign are piling into Japan’s real estate market. As of the end of June 2021, REITs and private placement funds held a total of over 44 trillion Yen (approx. US$400 billion) in real estate - the highest level in history.
Why Japan and why Japanese real estate?
Land values drop nationwide for second year, but increase in Tokyo
Japan’s Standard Land Prices were announced yesterday by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT). The national average dropped by 0.4% from last year. This is the second year in a row to see a decline, but it is a slight improvement from last year’s 0.6% drop. The nationwide average has been in the negative for 27 of the past 30 years.
Karuizawa home of Nobel Prize winner demolished
The historic holiday home of Nobel Prize for Literature winner Yasunari Kawabata in Karuizawa has been demolished this month. The town had petitioned the current owner to allow the structure to be relocated but was unable to obtain their approval.
Japan's largest travel company to sell HQ building
JTB Corporation, the largest travel agency in Japan, is selling off two of its buildings in Tokyo and Osaka in a deal that could fetch tens of billions of Yen. The company has struggled since the start of the pandemic, with travel transaction volume dropping 96% in 2020.
Foreign buyers battle for Seibu’s hotels
In the few months since news broke of Seibu Holdings’ plan to offload some of its hotels, Blackstone Group and an investment fund affiliated with Morgan Stanley have emerged as possible buyers. Negotiations are expected to conclude by the end of the year.