Specified Skills Visa to Start on April 1st: How Ready (Or Not) is Japan to Receive New Foreign Workers?
On April 1st, Japan will make a sea change to its immigration policy by officially opening the doors to significant numbers of lower-skilled workers through two new residency visa statuses. Over the next five years, two Specified Skills Visas will... More
How is AirBnB Doing in Japan One Year After Licensing Starts? Steady Progress But Some Problems Remain
It has been a year since operators began applying to do business under the new Minpaku law. Although notifications under the law got off to a slow start, the number of new businesses applying to become a registered minpaku has... More
Market Trends
Residential Land Prices Up in Japan for the First Time in 27 Years: Concentrated in Major Metro Regions
Land prices are on the rise throughout Japan, according to the latest Official Land Price survey. Here are the key takeaways from the 2019 Official Land Price (koji chika) that was released this month. Compared to 2018, there were 10%... More
LeoPalace21 Admits to Insufficient Fireproofing in Another 1,300+ Buildings, 7,700 Tenants Urged to Move
In a new scandal, LeoPalace21, the operator of over 30,000 budget apartment units across Japan, announced on February 7th that it has confirmed construction failures in walls and ceilings of 1,324 apartment buildings it operates in 33 prefectures. This admission... More
Market Trends
How much does a new condominium cost in Tokyo? The 2018 Average Sales Price Numbers Are In
The average sales price of a new condominium in the Tokyo 23 Wards rose last year to ¥71,420,000 ($649,273), a year-on-year increase of 0.7%. This is according to data recently released by the Real Estate Economic Institute (REEI), a Tokyo-based think... More
Vacant Homes in Japan
Akiya Bank Japan Vacant House Database to Now Include Govt Public Assets: Ministry of Land
Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) has announced that it will now make “for sale” and “for rent” public assets searchable online on the akiya (vacant house) websites currently operated by HOMES (Lifull) and AtHome. These public... More
Market Trend in 2019
Osaka and Kansai Condominium Market Forecast 2019: Plus Sales Prices for 2018
The Real Estate Economic Institute (REEI) has released its 2019 forecast for supply trends in the new condominium market for the Kansai region, which consists of the prefectures of Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyōgo and Shiga. Kansai Region Forecast For... More