Tokyo Real Estate News & Information

Renting an Apartment in Japan: A Guide for Foreigners

Post date: December, 27, 2024

With an increase in the number of foreign workers in Japan, the housing needs of foreigners in Tokyo and regional cities are increasing. When foreigners rent apartments or houses in Japan, they may come across some problematic situations due to the language barrier, Japanese business customs, or du…

Home Inspections in Japan

Post date: March, 26, 2018

While common in Western countries, in Japan home inspections before purchasing or selling a home is rare. The Japanese government is currently pushing forward the development of laws regarding effective use of home inspections when purchasing or selling pre-owned homes. The purpose being not only to…

Use of Home Inspection upon Selling and Buying an Existing house

Post date: March, 26, 2018

As a measure for facilitating the purchase of pre-owned homes, the government has decided to amend the “Building Lots and Buildings Transaction Business” Act. The changes will be put into effect in April, 2018. In the amended law, the government has established the use of “Home inspection” as the me…

Housing Policy in Japan – Pre-owned Housing Market

Post date: March, 26, 2018

Since 2006, Japan’s housing policy has been shifting from a supply of newly built housing to focusing on the effective use of pre-owned housing stock. Here is an introduction to the present trend of Japan’s housing market and the measures taken by the Government to encourage the purchasing of pre-ow…

Japanese Real Estate 2017-2018 Summary, Predictions

Post date: January, 25, 2018

This is article was provided by Mr. Ziv Nakajima-Magen, a partner and executive manager at Nippon Tradings International. It’s that time of year again – as 2018 kicks into gear, all major real-estate industry players have published their annual 2017 statistics, summaries and, perhaps most importantl…

Reconstruction of Japanese old apartment building － Reason of rebuilding, planning and resolution

Post date: January, 25, 2018

Apartment buildings started being built in large numbers all across Japan in the late 1960’s and most the ones still standing have not undergone any reconstruction. While there are various opinions and data regarding the life span of a Japanese apartment building, we know for a fact that many of hav…

Reconstruction of an old apartment building – Rebuilt examples and problems

Post date: January, 25, 2018

According to information from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, it is estimated that the number of apartments over 40 years old throughout Japan will be as many as 730,000 in 2018. As of 2013, there are only 183 cases in all of Japan of apartments being rebuilt. Due to the high num…

Long-term repair plan for Japanese Apartment (Large-scale repair & Reserve fund for repairs)

Post date: January, 25, 2018

Proper maintenance is crucial for maintaining the safety, comfort, and value of an apartment building. Conducting appropriate renovations with consideration to the age and deterioration of a building in a timely manner makes a great difference in the ability of an apartment building to maintain its…

Tips for buying an old apartment in Japan

Post date: January, 25, 2018

According to a survey taken by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the total number of apartment buildings (as of 2012) in Japan is approximately 5,900,000. It is estimated that the number buildings over 40 years old will be around 730,000 in 2018. Second-hand apartments account for…

Lifespan of a Japanese Apartment

Post date: January, 25, 2018

What is the life span of an apartment in Japan? How many years will it remain habitable. When you consider purchasing a second-hand apartment, many may wonder how long they will be able to reside there. Many older apartments can provide attractive investment opportunities if obtained within a reason…