Category: Japan

How to Buy Property in Yokohama: The Definitive Guide

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Investors are moving firmly towards the Yokohama property market as Tokyo has gone increasingly expensive over the years.

In fact, Yokohama is an overlooked city that is getting more and more appreciated, not only by locals but also foreigners.

With an increasing population, the demand will stay relatively high, compared to many other cities in Japan.

Before you invest in Yokohama property, you must get your feet wet and learn about the property market and buying regulations for foreigners.

In this article, we share valuable information with property buyers who are interested in the Yokohama real estate market.

Topics covered:

  • The Yokohama Property Market
  • Where should I buy property in Yokohama?
  • Real Estate Agents in Yokohama

The Yokohama property market

Yokohama is the second-largest city in Japan in terms of population, but the most populous in terms of density. Continue reading How to Buy Property in Yokohama: The Definitive Guide

Top 9 Real Estate Agencies in Japan: An Overview

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Japan is a popular country for overseas real estate investors, many come from mainland China, Singapore, and Hong Kong in the Asia Pacific region.

Having said that, finding a local real estate agent can be difficult unless you speak the local language and have sufficient knowledge of the market.

It’s often beneficial working with an international agent with in-depth experience that can guide you through the buying process and give recommendations.

In this article, we review the top nine agencies available, focusing on property agents in the Tokyo area.

1. Ken Corporation

Ken Corporation established its first office in 1972 and now has seven offices in Tokyo and one in Yokohama. Having as many as 480 employees and managing around 13,000 properties, the company has established a great footprint in Tokyo. Continue reading Top 9 Real Estate Agencies in Japan: An Overview

Top 8 Property Management Companies in Japan

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Japan has a developed commercial real estate market and many foreign companies have set foot here since decades back.

Most international real estate companies can be found here as well as local companies that specialize in catering to foreigners or the local market.

In short, there’s an abundance of property management companies available in Japan. As the demand is greatest in Tokyo and we see the highest concentration of property management companies here, I’ve decided to focus on companies in the capital.

In this article, we review the top property management companies in Japan and how they help foreigners and locals with everything from tenant screening, payments, and maintenance, for example.

1. Axios Management

Axios Management is a leading property management company in Tokyo that focuses on a foreign clientele. From the start, it began as the only English-speaking and foreign investor-centric property management firm in the country. Continue reading Top 8 Property Management Companies in Japan

How to Buy Industrial Real Estate in Japan: Foreign Investor’s Guide

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Japan has one of the biggest industrial real estate markets in the world. You can find a high density of warehouses, logistics centers, and factories in clusters, such as in the Hanshin Industrial Region or Greater Nagoya.

The market will see a transformation in the coming years as Japan is in great need of automation and more advanced logistics facilities. Here, the growing eCommerce market is the main driver.

In this article, I explain how you can buy industrial real estate as a foreigner in Japan. I will cover a wide range of topics covering regulations, the market, tax obligations, and more.

Topics covered:

  • Can foreigners buy industrial real estate in Japan?
  • Japan’s Industrial Real Estate Market
  • Primary Industrial Clusters
  • How can I find industrial real estate for sale?
  • Taxes

Can foreigners buy industrial real estate in Japan?

Japan is one of a few Asian countries where foreigners have no general issues buying real estate, no matter if it’s residential or commercial real estate. You can also own land on a freehold basis, Korea and Malaysia are practically the two only other countries that allow this. Continue reading How to Buy Industrial Real Estate in Japan: Foreign Investor’s Guide

Investing in Japan Office Space & Buildings: Full Guide

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Japan’s office market suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic but managed to attract comparably many foreign investors that turned their backs to more unstable markets.

In bad times, Japan and Korea are seen as safe-havens where you can experience less volatility and declines. Vacancy rates have been kept low in the industrial property market, for example.

Another benefit of investing in Japanese office space is its robust market and the ease for foreigners of owning real estate. This is something that I will go into greater detail about later in this article.

Today, we review how foreigners can invest in office space and buildings and Japan, how the market has behaved, and more.

Topics covered:

  • Can foreigners buy office space in Japan?
  • Japan’s Office Space Market
  • Office Prices in Japan
  • Taxes
  • How can I find office space for sale in Japan?

Can foreigners buy office space in Japan?

Japan is one of the most open countries in Asia in terms of property ownership regulations. Foreigners are treated similarly as locals and you can get hold of freehold real estate, no matter if it’s residential or commercial. Continue reading Investing in Japan Office Space & Buildings: Full Guide

Buying Property in Japan: The Definitive Guide

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Suggestion: Watch the 5 minutes video tutorial before reading this article

Japan is one of the most popular investment destinations for international corporations and individual property buyers. Being one of a few developed countries in APAC, it’s not strange.

Foreigners find Japan as safe and ownership regulations are both transparent and favorable, which is not often the case in many other APAC countries, especially in Southeast Asia.

Not to forget, Japan is very livable and many decide to either settle here or to buy lifestyle property for holiday or rental purposes.

Before you buy real estate in Japan, it’s important that you understand the property market outlook, how high property taxes are, if you can get a property loan as a foreigner, and more.

In this article, you’ll learn the following:

Continue reading Buying Property in Japan: The Definitive Guide

Buying Land in Japan: Foreign Investor’s Guide

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Japan’s land prices haven’t increased as much as in developing Asian countries in the past years. The country suffered from an economic downturn in the early 1990s and the real estate market never really recovered since.

With that said, the market has started to gain more interest and Tokyo currently has one of the most active markets, according to PwC. It’s predicted to see great rental growths as it gains interest locally and from overseas.

In this article, we focus on land investments and where I explain the basics if you plan to buy land as a foreign corporation or individual.

Topics covered:

  • Can foreigners buy land in Japan?
  • Land Prices in Japan
  • The Process When Buying Land
  • Taxes when Buying Land
  • Finding Land for Sales in Japan
  • Commercial Real Estate Agents in Japan

Can foreigners buy land in Japan?

Japan is one of a few Asian countries that allow foreigners to own land on both a freehold and leasehold basis. This comes as a surprise to many overseas investors, especially as habitable land is limited. Continue reading Buying Land in Japan: Foreign Investor’s Guide

Investing in Japan REITs: The Ultimate Guide

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Japan introduced its REIT market in 2001 which is now the second-biggest in the world, worth around USD 120 billion.

In 2019, Japan’s REIT market reached a 12-year high but was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE) REIT Index saw a decline of almost 50% as investors pulled out.

With that said, many trusts have performed well in the past years and until the beginning of 2020. As the Japan REIT market has gained increasingly more interest in previous years, I decided to write this article.

Topics covered:

  • Can foreigners buy REITs in Japan?
  • How can I invest in REITs in Japan?
  • Trading Japanese REITs Through an International Broker
  • What are the benefits of buying Japan REITs?
  • List of REITs in Japan

Can foreigners buy REITs in Japan?

Foreigners have no particular issues to invest in REITs or stocks and participate in the Japanese stock market. Continue reading Investing in Japan REITs: The Ultimate Guide

Buying Hotels in Japan: The Ultimate Guide

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Japan is one of the most visited countries in Asia and its tourism industry has seen a great upswing in the past years.

The major cities will see a large supply of new units in the coming years, an interesting trend is that the demand for nights at 4-5 star hotels increase much.

Investing in Japan real estate is straight-forward compared to other regional countries, including Thailand, China, and Vietnam, just to mention a few.

Yet, the country is also well-known for being bureaucratic which can understandably make some investors frustrated.

In this article, we review the following topics:

  • Can foreigners buy hotels in Japan?
  • Licenses Needed to Operate a Hotel
  • Hotel Business Permits (The Hotel Business Act)
  • Buying Japanese Hotels through a Company
  • Japan’s Hotel Market
  • Best Cities for Hotel Investments in Japan
  • Commercial Property Agents in Japan

Can foreigners buy hotels in Japan?

Japan has transparent and preferable property ownership rules, foreigners generally don’t have any issues to acquire hotels and resorts. Continue reading Buying Hotels in Japan: The Ultimate Guide

Investing in Japan Commercial Property: Foreign Buyer’s Guide

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Japan continues to be a popular investment destination in Asia. With changes in local policies and eased visa regulations, the commercial property market will benefit from an increased amount of tourists and investors.

Interestingly, the Japanese government has revised its projections of the number of inbounds in the coming decade, which increased from 20 million to 40 million in 2020, and from 30 million to 60 million in 2030.

People from Hong Kong and Mainland China go to Japan in vast numbers, at the same time as we’ll see future growth from emerging markets like India and Indonesia.

Yet, buying commercial property in Japan requires a bit of planning and caution.

In this article, we review the following:

Continue reading Investing in Japan Commercial Property: Foreign Buyer’s Guide