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Higher borrowing costs are beginning to change the behavior of Japan’s residential property investors, with landlords reporting weaker cash flow, greater caution toward new acquisitions and more consideration of rent increases. In an October 6 survey by property-investment platform Rakumachi, 77.8% of 239 respondents using investment-property loans said their borrowing rate had risen during the previous year. Among 286 property owners, 36.7% said they had already increased re

Artificial intelligence could eventually contribute to higher underlying interest rates in Japan if it delivers lasting productivity gains, according to a framework outlined by Bank of Japan Deputy Governor Shinichi Uchida. AI-generated image of the Bank of Japan exterior. All rights reserved. That possibility could have an important implication for housing. AI-driven productivity gains could support wages and household borrowing capacity, while also helping create an economy

The Golden Trail World Series came to Myoko for the first time on September 19-20, 2026, bringing around 700 runners from Japan and overseas to the resort. The Japanese news report below uses the event to look at a much bigger story: Myoko’s push to become a year-round international destination, the large-scale resort investment underway in the area, and how local residents are responding to the changes taking place around them. Patience Realty is a proud group-company of Pat

When Dr. Koichi Seki encountered a tree peony called “Hoki” at the opening of Tsukuba Peony Garden in 1989, he was captivated. “It was love at first sight,” he recalls. Then the plant began to weaken. Eventually, it died. Dr. Seki’s frustration prompted him to reconsider how he grew peonies. It also set him on a path that would gradually change the garden itself-from carefully arranged flower displays into a landscape where peonies, trees and the surrounding countryside could

The Japan Housing Finance Agency published its October Flat 35 rates on October 1st, with the most common rate for 21- to 35-year loans at a loan-to-value ratio of 90% or below rising to 3.83%. That is the highest level under the current Flat 35 framework and extends a three-month rise in long-term fixed borrowing costs. Image generated by Patience Realty using AI services. All rights reserved. Flat 35 is a government-supported, fully fixed mortgage offered by private lender