Compare traditional vs modern Japanese renovations: materials, costs, energy performance, seismic/permit rules, and hybrid strategies for investors.

This guide to buying an akiya in Japan breaks down what an akiya is, why they exist, where to find them, and examples of successful purchases.

Japan's housing market is grappling with an oversupply crisis, marked by nearly 9 million vacant properties and an 80% surge in vacancy rates over two decades. This trend, driven by demographic shifts like declining birth rates, poses economic and safety challenges. Potential solutions, such as foreign investment or immigration, are complicated by Japan's insular culture and economic considerations.

Other travellers have also transitioned from being mere tourists to becoming proud holiday home owners. In this article, we’ll focus on the most popular ski resort locations - namely Niseko, Hakuba and Myoko, where many foreigners have been purchasing holiday homes in recent years.

The Japan Real Estate Experts Panel (JREP) members have gathered at a beautiful venue in Tokyo, bringing together over 80 Japan real estate property enthusiasts to talk shop, gather info and network, at a phenomenal event which will surely be the first of many!

Japan’s housing market is out of line with the country’s demographic reality. Annual births have fallen from 1.19 million in 2000 to an all-time low of 810,000 in 2021, with the COVID-19 pandemic pushing the figure below even government predictions. At the same time, high-rise condominiums are going up one after another in cities, and land, including agricultural plots, in suburbs and regional municipalities is steadily being converted to residential lots. What is behind this state of affairs?

Japan said on Tuesday it will ask households and companies across the country to conserve electricity within "a reasonable range" during the peak winter demand season to alleviate a possible power crunch in the world's third largest economy. Japan's power supply has been tight in recent years as nuclear power plants have been slow to restart after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster.