Hokkaido city struggling with abandoned buildings
Kushiro City in Hokkaido is struggling with a growing number of vacant and seemingly-abandoned buildings in the city center.
Demolishing this tower will cost 720 million Yen
Hokkaido Prefecture is facing a growing demolition bill for the Hokkaido Centennial Memorial Tower.
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.
Hokkaido sees 12% more offshore investors between 2019 and 2020
A survey by public broadcaster NHK has found that the there were 4,406 buildings and land parcels in Hokkaido owned by foreign funds and corporations as of January 2020. This is a 12% increase from 2019. Even with the international travel bans, some industry experts say acquisitions have continued throughout 2020 as foreign investors are confident that things will return to normal post-covid.
Yubari Resort to file for bankruptcy citing pandemic-induced tourism downturn
Only a year after purchasing the resort and related hotels, the owner-operator of the Yubari Mount Racey Ski Resort is filing for bankruptcy. The closure of the city’s only ski resort and the only three hotels nearby have devastated the local tourism industry.
Quick real estate news summary for the week
Homebuyer preferences change as pandemic continues, Nikko-branded hotel for Niseko, and Singapore funds see value in Japan’s logistics market. Below is a quick weekly summary of some of the recent goings-on in the Japanese real estate market.
US$600million+ resort condo development for Niseko
Another week, another multi-billion Yen project announced for Niseko. Singapore-based Shenning Investments is developing a luxury Capella-branded resort in Niseko’s Hanazono district with a planned opening in 2024 ~ 2025. The total cost of the project has not been disclosed but some have estimated it to be over 70 billion Yen (approx. 664 million USD).