Once thought of as impossible to sell, each of the properties is marked by a dark history. They were the sites of various unfortunate incidents, including the deaths of previous residents. But now, Marks’ Jobutsu Estate website, named after the Japanese word for "resting in peace," is showcasing these properties rather than giving them a pass.

The head of one of Japan’s biggest and most conservative insurance groups is looking to roll out nursing and preventive healthcare services in ageing societies around the world in a bid to become a global giant.

Rising prices for Tokyo real estate are starting to make the Olympic Village condos in the Harumi district near Tokyo Bay an attractive proposition. More than 5,600 units for an estimated 12,000 residents will be made available at the development, called Harumi Flag.

Japan’s long-running mission to get casino resorts off the ground has been delayed not only because of the coronavirus but also due to related political scandals and public opposition. As Yokohama prepares for a mayoral election on Aug. 22, it and other localities hoping for a casino resort are moving forward with plans to formally finalize their proposals, which the central government will accept from October until April 28, 2022.

As billions of people watch the Olympics, front and center is the Olympic cauldron, fueled by hydrogen. It's an important statement Japan is sending to the world: They are on a new path to a clean energy society. A brand new, totally green, facility in Fukushima produces hydrogen - the most abundant element in the universe. The plant uses solar energy, then takes water and splits it into hydrogen. The result is clean burning fuel and no carbon footprint.

One would think that with Covid-19 and between people keen on running away from major urban centres to get away from crowds, and Japan’s aging demographics, the residential property market would take a hit. No so! In fact, just the opposite. Institutional investors have, in fact, been pouring funds into portfolios.

Foreign investment in Japan’s apartments more than doubled to US$5.9 billion in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic, from US$2.7 billion a year earlier, according to Real Capital Analytics, which tracks deals worth at least US$10 million. So far this year, the segment has attracted US$704 million in foreign capital with another US$161 million still pending.

Japan, known for its rigid work culture, is entertaining changes to the standard workweek few would have predicted even several years ago. The country’s annual economic policy guidelines, released this month, unveiled plans to push employers to adopt four-day workweeks, marking official acceptance of a once-fringe approach that has gained increasing purchase internationally amid workplace changes wrought by the coronavirus pandemic.