Property Investment
Columns on yields, financing and property selection for anyone considering real estate investment in Japan.
Do Rising Rates Hurt Real Estate Investing? What the BOJ’s “2% Reached” Call Means for Loan Costs
Japanese media report the Bank of Japan is likely to say on October 30 that inflation has effectively reached its 2% target. Here is how higher rates change loan payments, cash flow and net yield, using an illustrative calculation.
What Is the Difference Between Gross and Net Yield?
Gross yield is annual rent divided by the price and ignores holding costs. Net yield deducts operating costs and divides by the total investment including purchase costs. Compare Japanese income properties on net yield.
How Do You Choose a Property Manager? Checking Fees and Scope for Japanese Rental Property
Choosing a property manager on the lowest fee alone can quietly erode your net income through vacancy handling and repair costs. This guide covers typical fees, service scope and what to check under Japan's rental management law.
What Happens to Your Income When a Unit Goes Vacant? Testing Vacancy Risk With Numbers
The yield quoted for an investment property usually assumes full occupancy. See how vacancy, advertising fees and restoration costs change your real take-home, with a worked example and the key lease rules.
Buying Investment Property in a Busy Typhoon Year? Flood Risk and Insurance Checks
Three typhoons were active at once in early October. Before buying a rental property in Japan, learn how to read hazard maps, the pre-contract explanation and the flood coverage in fire insurance.
Will Reserve Fund Fees Spike? The Fixed Costs That Cut Into Yields on Older Condos
How management fees and repair reserve fees work for condo investors in Japan, why reserve fees tend to rise, and a worked example of how an increase lowers net yield — plus the documents and Condominium Act provisions to check before buying.
Why Did the Pension Fund Gain ¥41 Trillion? What GPIF Teaches About Diversifying Into Real Estate
Reports say Japan's GPIF pension fund posted about ¥41 trillion in investment returns for fiscal 2025. Using that as a starting point, this article looks at how individual investors might think about diversification, including real estate, within their own portfolios.
How Will the BOJ Rate Hike Change Your Repayments? A Property Investor's Guide to the 1.25% Era
The Bank of Japan raised its policy rate by 0.25 points to 1.25% at its September 17-18, 2026 meeting, the highest level in roughly 31 years. Here's how this decision could generally relate to mortgage costs, financing, and overseas investors' asset allocation.
Is a Pre-Completion Condo Still Worth Buying? Reading Yield as Tokyo Tops ¥145 Million
MFS's latest price-trend report puts the AI-estimated price of a pre-completion condo in Tokyo's 23 wards at ¥145.72 million, up 13.3% year on year. With prices still climbing, here is how to read surface versus real yield and what to check before signing.
How Long Will Short-Term Rental Income Last? Reading Regulatory Risk from Osaka
After Osaka closed new applications for its special-zone minpaku scheme, operators shifted to hotel-business licences, and the city now plans to add building structure to the approval conditions. Here is how to build regulatory change into your numbers before you buy.
Does a Guaranteed Rent Last Forever? What to Check in a Sublease Contract
A master-lease (sublease) contract advertised as "rent guaranteed" does not mean the rent stays fixed forever. Here is how the rent review clause works, why cancellation is asymmetric, and which disclosure documents to check before signing.
Should You Buy on Yield Alone? Working Backward from the Exit in Japan
Choosing an investment property on headline yield alone can leave you with less than expected once exit taxes and buyer financing enter the picture. Here is how holding period, rollover relief, and non-resident withholding work.
Why Did Tokyo-Area Condo Prices Cross ¥100 Million? Reading the Surge as an Overseas Investor
The Real Estate Economic Institute reports that average new condo prices across greater Tokyo topped ¥100 million for the first half of 2026 for the first time. Here's how to read that headline number without overpaying.
Is Now the Time to Buy Japanese Property? Reading Yields as the Yen Weakens and Nikkei Climbs
On August 12, 2026, Japan's Nikkei average rose to 67,524 points while the yen slipped past 158 to the dollar. As stocks rise and the yen weakens together, here's how overseas investors should think about yields and risks before buying Japanese investment property.
What Do Rising Rates Mean for Property Investment in Japan? Yields, Loans and Picking Assets
With Tokyo stocks swinging day after day, interest in rental income keeps growing. Here is how rising interest rates change yields, financing and property selection in Japan.
Is an 8% Gross Yield Actually Profitable? Reading Net Yield Instead
Advertised gross yields say nothing about what holding the asset costs. How to work in running costs and vacancy to get to a net figure.
Laws Covered in This Category
- Act on Appropriate Management of Rental Housing, Art. 3
- How Do You Choose a Property Manager? Checking Fees and Scope for Japanese Rental Property
- Act on Building Unit Ownership, Article 7
- Will Reserve Fund Fees Spike? The Fixed Costs That Cut Into Yields on Older Condos
- Act on General Rules for National Taxes, Article 117
- What Is the Difference Between Gross and Net Yield?
- Act on Land and Building Leases, Art. 26
- What Happens to Your Income When a Unit Goes Vacant? Testing Vacancy Risk With Numbers
- Act on Land and Building Leases, Art. 28
- What Happens to Your Income When a Unit Goes Vacant? Testing Vacancy Risk With Numbers
- Act on Land and Building Leases, Art. 38
- What Happens to Your Income When a Unit Goes Vacant? Testing Vacancy Risk With Numbers
- Act on Land and Building Leases, Article 28
- Does a Guaranteed Rent Last Forever? What to Check in a Sublease Contract
- Act on Land and Building Leases, Article 32
- Does a Guaranteed Rent Last Forever? What to Check in a Sublease Contract
- Act on Proper Management of Rental Housing, Article 28
- Does a Guaranteed Rent Last Forever? What to Check in a Sublease Contract
- Act on Special Measures Concerning Taxation, Article 31
- Should You Buy on Yield Alone? Working Backward from the Exit in Japan
- Act on Special Measures Concerning Taxation, Article 32
- Should You Buy on Yield Alone? Working Backward from the Exit in Japan
- Act on Special Measures Concerning Taxation, Article 37
- Should You Buy on Yield Alone? Working Backward from the Exit in Japan
- Building Lots and Buildings Transaction Business Act, Art. 35
- Is Now the Time to Buy Japanese Property? Reading Yields as the Yen Weakens and Nikkei Climbs
- Building Lots and Buildings Transaction Business Act, Article 35
- Is a Pre-Completion Condo Still Worth Buying? Reading Yield as Tokyo Tops ¥145 Million
- Building Lots and Buildings Transaction Business Act, Article 37
- Why Did Tokyo-Area Condo Prices Cross ¥100 Million? Reading the Surge as an Overseas Investor
- Building Lots and Buildings Transaction Business Act, Article 37-2
- Is a Pre-Completion Condo Still Worth Buying? Reading Yield as Tokyo Tops ¥145 Million
- Building Lots and Buildings Transaction Business Act, Article 41
- Is a Pre-Completion Condo Still Worth Buying? Reading Yield as Tokyo Tops ¥145 Million
- Building Standards Act, Article 48
- How Long Will Short-Term Rental Income Last? Reading Regulatory Risk from Osaka
- Enforcement Regulations of the same Act, Article 16-4-3, Item 3-2
- Buying Investment Property in a Busy Typhoon Year? Flood Risk and Insurance Checks
- Flood Control Act, Article 15, Paragraph 3
- Buying Investment Property in a Busy Typhoon Year? Flood Risk and Insurance Checks
- Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act (Gaitame-ho), Art. 55-5 and related provisions
- Is Now the Time to Buy Japanese Property? Reading Yields as the Yen Weakens and Nikkei Climbs
- Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act, Article 55-5 and related provisions
- Why Did Tokyo-Area Condo Prices Cross ¥100 Million? Reading the Surge as an Overseas Investor
- Hotel Business Act, Article 3
- How Long Will Short-Term Rental Income Last? Reading Regulatory Risk from Osaka
- Income Tax Act, Article 161
- What Is the Difference Between Gross and Net Yield?
- Income Tax Act, Article 212, Paragraph 1
- Should You Buy on Yield Alone? Working Backward from the Exit in Japan
- Income Tax Act, Article 212(1)
- What Is the Difference Between Gross and Net Yield?
- Income Tax Act, Article 33
- Should You Buy on Yield Alone? Working Backward from the Exit in Japan
- MLIT Guidelines on Condominium Repair Reserve Funds
- Will Reserve Fund Fees Spike? The Fixed Costs That Cut Into Yields on Older Condos
- National Strategic Special Zones Act, Article 13
- How Long Will Short-Term Rental Income Last? Reading Regulatory Risk from Osaka
- Private Lodging Business Act, Article 18
- How Long Will Short-Term Rental Income Last? Reading Regulatory Risk from Osaka
- Private Lodging Business Act, Article 2
- How Long Will Short-Term Rental Income Last? Reading Regulatory Risk from Osaka
- Real Estate Transaction Business Act, Article 35
- Buying Investment Property in a Busy Typhoon Year? Flood Risk and Insurance Checks
- Real Property Registration Act, Art. 60
- Is Now the Time to Buy Japanese Property? Reading Yields as the Yen Weakens and Nikkei Climbs
- Same Act, Art. 13
- How Do You Choose a Property Manager? Checking Fees and Scope for Japanese Rental Property
- Same Act, Art. 14
- How Do You Choose a Property Manager? Checking Fees and Scope for Japanese Rental Property
- Same Act, Article 18
- Will Reserve Fund Fees Spike? The Fixed Costs That Cut Into Yields on Older Condos
- Same Act, Article 30
- Does a Guaranteed Rent Last Forever? What to Check in a Sublease Contract
- Same Act, Article 31
- Does a Guaranteed Rent Last Forever? What to Check in a Sublease Contract
- Same Act, Article 8
- Will Reserve Fund Fees Spike? The Fixed Costs That Cut Into Yields on Older Condos
- Same Act, Arts. 28 and 29
- How Do You Choose a Property Manager? Checking Fees and Scope for Japanese Rental Property