Foreign buyers of real estate in Japan – Page 2

Foreign funds return with force in 2019

With ultra-low interest rates and one of the highest yield gaps in international cities, foreign funds are increasingly turning their attention towards real estate in Tokyo and the rest of Japan.

by Zoe Ward

Foreigners buy 373 hectares of forestry in 2018

In 2018, foreign funds purchased 373 hectares of forestry across Japan. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), there were 30 acquisitions made across seven prefectures.

by Zoe Ward

Foreign funds spend 1.1 trillion Yen on Japanese real estate in 2017

In 2017, foreign corporations and funds spent a total of 1.1 trillion Yen (approx. 9.7 billion USD) on real estate acquisitions across Japan, a three-fold increase from 2016 and the first time that the annual volume has exceeded one trillion Yen.Read more

by Zoe Ward

Foreign buyers of real estate in Japan still lack adequate support from agents

As a foreign buyer of real estate in Japan, whether living abroad or in the country, you may find that there are only a small number of real estate agencies that are capable and experienced in working with foreign clients. Even if the language barrier is not an issue, finding an agent who has worked with foreigners and can understand and explain the key differences and intricacies about Japan’s property market is essential.

We have heard of nightmare stories from buyers who have purchased properties without receiving full explanations or even incorrect explanations of property details, resulting in some very bad investments. With a growing number of foreign buyers, these bad practices are only going to increase.Read more

by Zoe Ward

Foreign investment in Japan reaches 19-year high but still low by international standards

Foreign investment Japan 2015 2 — [Left] Meguro Gajoen; [Right] Kirarito Ginza.

Investment by foreign-based funds and corporations in Japanese real estate has reached the highest level since 1996. Between January and September 2015, foreign funds acquired 706.5 billion Yen (5.91 billion USD) of property, an increase of 41% from the same period in 2014.

Meanwhile, some last minute transactions at the end of 2014 put the annual acquisition volume for 2014 at 981.8 billion Yen.

Some of the funds have been seeking capital gains, while others, including government-related funds, have been seeking high yields with a long-term view for holding their assets. In September, average office rents in central Tokyo increased for the 21st month in a row. The average spread between the office yield in central Tokyo and the long-term interest rate is around 3%, versus 1% in Singapore and Hong Kong.Read more

by Zoe Ward

Chinese developer sets sights on Japanese real estate market

Chinese developer, Greenland Group, is planning to invest in Japan’s real estate market. On September 21, Mizuho Financial Group entered into a business partnership with the developer. As part of the agreement, Mizuho will provide support and assistance for Greenland’s investments in Japan.Read more

by Zoe Ward

Kyoto machiya popular with foreign buyers

Kyoto machiya According to the Urban Research Institute Corporation, foreign corporations acquired 1.2 billion Yen of real estate in Japan in 2014, 2.8 times higher than the figure in 2013. This accounted for a little over 20% of the value of all transactions nationwide.

While most of the foreign investment is centred in Tokyo, Kyoto is also attracting some foreign buyers.Read more

by Zoe Ward