Get the latest intelligence direct to your inbox.

Mitsui Fudosan will open a shared office and co-creation base at New Chitose Airport in August, positioning the facility at the center of Hokkaido’s expanding semiconductor cluster, as Chitose emerges as one of Japan’s key semiconductor nodes. RISE GATE New Chitose Airport lounge CG rendering, courtesy of the company. The project, branded RISE GATE NEW CHITOSE AIRPORT, will be located on the third floor of the domestic terminal and developed in partnership with RISE-A. It is

Global markets are entering a rare G7 Super Week - a tightly packed stretch in which multiple major central banks, including the Bank of Japan, the Federal Reserve, the Bank of England, the Bank of Canada and the European Central Bank, deliver policy decisions within days of each other. The BOJ is under particular pressure as it contends with a weak yen, rising inflation, and geopolitical risks linked to Iran. As other central banks signal their policy paths, questions remain

On April 23rd, Sankei Building, Haseko Real Estate, and Hilton announced a jointly developed hotel project, tentatively named the “Hakone Gora Hotel Project,” in Hakone Town, Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa Prefecture. This marks the first hotel development collaboration between Sankei Building and Haseko Real Estate. The two companies signed a branding and management agreement with Hilton on March 30th. For Hilton, the project represents its first entry into the Hakone mark

Japan’s consumer sentiment weakened sharply in March 2026, even as a separate survey of housing intenders shows that more than half believe now is a good time to buy property, highlighting a divergence between broad household confidence and purchase timing among active buyers. Photo by Nikolay Likomanov on Unsplash Released April 9th, the latest Consumer Confidence Survey from the Cabinet Office shows a clear deterioration in sentiment across all major indicators, while Recr

Real estate information service AtHome on April 22 released its latest data on advertised rents for rental housing across major markets nationwide for March 2026, based on listings within its nationwide property portal. The report defines “rent” as the total monthly amount paid by tenants, including base rent plus maintenance and common area fees. Notably, rents rose year-on-year across all regions and unit sizes for the first time since the survey began in January 2015. The

Mitsui Fudosan and Nomura Real Estate announced April 21st that the large-scale Nihonbashi 1-chome Central District Type 1 Urban Redevelopment Project in Tokyo’s Chuo Ward will be named Tokyo Midtown Nihonbashi, anchored by a 284-meter tower that will rank among the tallest buildings in central Tokyo. The development will become the fourth Tokyo Midtown complex, following projects in Roppongi, Hibiya and Yaesu. The project is the first development within the broader Nihonbash

Supply of brand-new condominiums in the Greater Tokyo Area (GTA) fell to its lowest level on record in fiscal 2025, according to data released April 20 by the Real Estate Economic Institute. A total of 21,659 new condominium units were launched across the region during the fiscal year (April 2025–March 2026), down 2.6% from the previous year. Supply declined for a fourth consecutive year, marking the lowest level since the survey began in 1973. By area, Tokyo’s 23 wards recor

According to a survey released April 16th by Recruit, 50% of people currently considering purchasing or building a home believe now is a good time to buy - the highest level recorded since 2020 and the fourth consecutive annual increase. The survey was conducted online by Recruit’s housing research arm, the SUUMO Research Center, between December 19, 2025 and January 7, 2026. It targeted men and women aged 20 to 69 who are actively considering purchasing, building, or renovat

A new collaboration between the Karuizawa Hoshino Area resort district and Shinano Railway will bring a culinary twist to sightseeing rail travel in central Japan. Beginning in May 2026, the partners will launch a seasonal dining experience aboard the Rokumon sightseeing train, combining regional cuisine with panoramic rail journeys through Nagano Prefecture. Rokumon train photo courtesy of PR Times press release linked at the bottom of this article. The initiative introduces

Developers behind the large-scale redevelopment of the Uchisaiwaicho 1-chome district in Tokyo’s Chiyoda Ward announced on April 14 that the project will be named HIBIYA CROSSPARK. Exterior CG rendering courtesy of R.E. Port News. The project is a major mixed-use development spanning roughly 1.1 million square meters and divided into three zones: North, Central, and South. The North District will include the new main building of The Imperial Hotel, Tokyo, along with a mixed-u

On March 20th, 2026, Nicholas Smith of CLSA appeared on CNBC’s Squawk Box Asia to discuss why he believes the Bank of Japan (BOJ) will need to raise interest rates as the weak yen and rising energy costs place increasing pressure on Japan’s economy. The interview took place ahead of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s visit to Washington, but Smith’s analysis remains particularly relevant as markets now turn their attention to the BOJ’s upcoming April 27 - 28 Monetary P

Existing condominium transactions in the Greater Tokyo Area (GTA) rose slightly in March, extending a 17-month streak of year-on-year (YoY) growth, according to data released April 10th by the Real Estate Information Network for East Japan (REINS). A total of 5,001 resale condominium units were transacted across the GTA during the month, inching up 0.2% from a year earlier. The GTA consists of the following prefectures: Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba and Saitama. Broken down by GTA p

On April 9th, real estate data provider Tokyo Kantei released its latest report on average prices for newly built, wood-frame single-family homes (SFH) across Japan’s major metropolitan areas for March 2026. Photo by Susann Schuster on Unsplash The survey tracks subdivided home prices with land areas between 100 and 300 square meters, located within a 30-minute walk of the nearest train station or within a 20-minute bus ride, where both the land and building are freehold own

Singapore-based investment manager Patience Capital Group (PCG) has completed a strategic investment in Keikyu Store, a long-established supermarket operator serving communities along the Keikyu railway corridor. Premium Keikyu Store brand Motomachi Union in Nishi Shinjuku. Photo by Adam German. The investment was made through a private equity fund advised by PCG and marks a partnership aimed at strengthening Keikyu Store’s competitive position as Japan’s retail sector evolv

Singapore-based investment manager Patience Capital Group (PCG) has assumed operational control of the luxury InterContinental Yokohama Pier 8, marking a new chapter for one of Yokohama’s most distinctive waterfront hotels. The transition was completed together with Nomura Real Estate Asset Management, with support from Yokohama Grand InterContinental Hotel, and the hotel officially began operating under its new management structure on April 1, 2026. At the same time, hospita

Speaking to CNBC’s Squawk Box Asia on April 1, 2026, Stefan Angrick, senior economist at Moody’s Analytics, said resilient business sentiment and strong corporate profits continue to support Japan’s economic backdrop, but warned that weak domestic demand, uneven wage growth, and rising geopolitical tensions could complicate the path toward further interest rate hikes. Click the screen-grab above or click here to watch the segment on CNBC’s website. Key Topics Covered Japan’s

International start-up companies are increasingly turning their attention to Japan, where Tokyo’s innovation scene and the country’s evolving social challenges are creating new opportunities for global entrepreneurs. From AI-driven technology demonstrations in Tokyo to pilot projects addressing elderly care in regional communities, Japan is becoming an appealing testing ground for international startups. Why does this matter to real estate? With Japan’s population declining,

Sumitomo Forestry and Rengo announced on April 1st the establishment of RS Wood Refinery, a joint venture that will produce bioethanol, a feedstock used in Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), using wood-based construction waste generated in Japan. RS Wood Refinery will manufacture and sell bioethanol using construction byproducts such as wood waste generated during housing construction, renovation, and demolition projects within the Sumitomo Forestry Group. Production will take

Japan’s rental housing market continues to tighten, particularly in the capital, as new data shows rents across Tokyo reaching fresh highs. According to the latest market report from LIFULL, operator of the major Japanese property portal LIFULL HOME'S, both family-type and single-occupant rental listings climbed sharply in February 2026, with central Tokyo leading the increase. The data highlights a growing imbalance in the Tokyo rental market: landlords are raising listing