Areas where property prices are likely to outperform Japan's inflation target

With the Bank of Japan's governor Haruhiko Kuroda setting a 2% inflation rate target within the next two years, which locations are more likely to receive the benefits of inflating asset prices and which areas are not?

In July 2002, Nikkei Business published a special feature on the 'real estate revolution' as Japan's property market was reaching a turning point. The feature stressed the importance of looking at the investment returns on all types of real estate and introduced the reporting of rental returns by train station.

More than 10 years have passed since the original article, and the Japan appears to be at another turning point.Read more

by Zoe Ward

Secondhand apartment prices in June - Tokyo Kantei

According to Tokyo Kantei, the average asking price of a 70 sqm (753 sqft) second-hand apartment in Tokyo's 23-ku in June was 39,720,000 Yen (397,000 USD), up 0.3% from last month and 0.7% higher than June 2012.

Across greater Tokyo, the average price was 27,700,000 Yen (277,000 USD), up 0.4% from last month but down 2.7% from last year.Read more

by Zoe Ward

June rental data - Tokyo Kantei

According to Tokyo Kantei, the average monthly rent of an apartment in greater Tokyo for the month of June was 2,541 Yen/sqm, up 0.4% from last month and up 3.2% from June 2012.

In Tokyo's 23 special wards, the average rent in June was 3,101 Yen/sqm, up 0.5% from last month and up 3.0% from last year. This is the highest level it has been since February 2011.Read more

by Zoe Ward

New apartment prices up 7.9% in June

According to the Real Estate Economic Institute, 4,888 new apartments were released for sale in greater Tokyo in June, up 22% from June 2012.

The contract rate improved by 2.9 points from the previous month to 81.6%.

The average apartment price was 48.33 million Yen, up 7.9% from June 2012, but down 1.3% from last month. The average price per square meter was 686,000 Yen, up 8.7% from last year, but down 1.0% from last month.Read more

by Zoe Ward

Central Tokyo secondhand apartment prices up 15.2% from last year

According to REINS, the number of second-hand apartment sales in greater Tokyo for the month of June 2013 increased by 17.9% from last year to 3,149 apartments. This is the 10th month in a row where sales have exceeded those of the same month one year prior.

The average sale price was 25,740,000 Yen (257,000 USD), up 6.9% from last year and up 0.1% from last month. The average sale price per square meter was 399,700 Yen/sqm, up 5.9% from June 2012 but down 0.4% from last month. The average apartment age was 19.12 years.

In central Tokyo's 3 wards (Chiyoda, Chuo and Minato), the average sale price of 45,500,000 Yen (454,000 USD) was 15.2% higher than last year and 3.6% higher than last month. The average price per square meter was 798,300 Yen, up 9.4% from last year and up 1.7% from last month.Read more

by Zoe Ward

Residential yields and vacancy rates in Minato-ku – July 2013

According to listing site Homes, the average yield on an apartment in Minato-ku in July 2013 was 6.0%, down 1.22 points from last month. The average yield across Tokyo was 8.0%, down 0.3 points from last month. The vacancy rate was 9.9% in Minato-ku and 11.0% across Tokyo.Read more

by Zoe Ward

MLIT White Paper on home ownership

On July 2, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) released their 2012 White Paper. The theme of the report explored the living situations and demographics of Japan's younger generation.

Home Ownership

Home ownership rates in Japan shrunk between 1983 and 1998, but began to pick up in 2008. The average rate across all age groups is around 60%.Read more

by Zoe Ward