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On January 11th, the Nikkei Shimbun reported that the Tokyo Metropolitan Government plans to introduce a new system as early as fiscal 2026 to encourage private developers to supply rental housing at below-market rates, responding to sharp rent increases in central Tokyo. Under the proposed framework - believed to be the first of its kind in Japan - floor-area ratios (FARs) for condominiums and mixed-use developments would be relaxed in exchange for offering rents set at roug

The Real Estate Association of Japan and the Real Estate Transaction Promotion Center (FRK), two major industry bodies representing Japan’s property sector, held a joint New Year’s reception on the 7th at The Okura Tokyo, a landmark hotel in central Tokyo. The event was attended by real estate executives, members of Japan’s national parliament, and representatives from related industries. Junichi Yoshida, Chairman of both the Real Estate Association of Japan and Mitsubishi Es

On December 27th, the Nikkei Shimbun reported that the average asking price of existing condominiums aged between 20 and 25 years in Tokyo’s 23 wards reached an average of ¥102.01 million in 2025, calculated on a 70-square-meter basis according to real estate information provider LIFULL. Photo by Jaison Lin on Unsplash The surge in housing prices is increasingly being viewed as a social issue, with the term “Oku-sion”, a portmanteau of the words “Oku”, meaning 100 million ye

On January 5, Nicholas Smith of CLSA joined Asia Trade on Bloomberg to discuss what 2026 could hold for the Japanese yen against the US dollar. In the conversation, Smith explains why the yen may be approaching an inflection point, pointing to shifting global interest rate dynamics and Japan’s vast overseas investment exposure as potential catalysts for a sharper-than-expected appreciation. For those viewing today’s weak yen as an incentive to purchase Japanese property, the

On January 5 th , the Japan Housing Finance Agency announced interest rates to be applied in January 2026 for Flat 35 fixed-rate mortgages offered through participating financial institutions. The Japan Housing Finance Agency is a government-affiliated incorporated administrative agency that supports long-term housing finance. Its Flat 35 program offers fixed-rate home loans through private lenders, with interest rates set for the full repayment period. Photo by Anastassia An