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Rising security and economic tensions prompting consideration of new rules to make it harder for foreigners to buy property in Japan.
In December, Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party announced its intent to introduce legislation to add new restrictions to the ability of foreigners to purchase real estate in Japan. In March, a government expert panel began holding meetings to discuss possible changes legal changes in order to address the economic and security concerns being voiced by proponents of increased regulation, with the aim of making a proposal by the end of the currently ongoing parliamentary session, which is scheduled to end in midsummer.
That timetable is now getting shifted back, as the panel is now saying that it is postponing any possible recommended bans on foreigners purchasing property until this coming fall.
The push for tighter restrictions reflects two growing concerns among a vocal portion of the Japanese population. The first is espionage threats from foreign countries, with China the most commonly perceived potential perpetrator. Under the current laws, foreign nationals buying real estate within close proximity to Japan Self-Defense Force bases, nuclear power plants, and other facilities deemed to be sensitive sites from a national security standpoint must disclose their nationality and declare the purchase to the Japanese government. Among the ideas being considered by the panel are installing a framework where instead of simply declaring such purchases, the buyer would have to apply for a license to complete the transaction, granting the government a form of veto power to stop the sale.
Real estate purchases by foreigners have also been attracting increased negative attention in Japan for economic reasons. While Japan’s total population is shrinking, it’s also becoming more concentrated. Instances of foreign buyers purchasing condominium buildings in high-demand areas and aggressively raising rents beyond what the current residents can bear, turning individual condo units into short-term rentals for ill-mannered tourists, or purchasing tracts of land for disruptively large redevelopment projects may still represent only a portion of real estate transactions in Japan, but when they do happen the public and policymakers definitely notice.
Unfortunately, there’s a third group of people who could get caught up in any wide-ranging ban on foreigners buying property: law-abiding foreign residents of Japan who simply want to purchase a place to live. Hopefully the panel will realize and remember that not every foreigner looking to buy real estate in Japan is a spy or speculator, and will leave a path for home ownership open to them within whatever recommendations it makes in the fall.
Source: Yomiuri Shimbun via Jin, Japan Times (1, 2)
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SINGAPORE: The number of million-dollar Housing and Development Board (HDB) resale flat transactions rose to 166 units in May 2026 after a dip in April, when there were only 138 units transacted.
According to Singapore Business Review, citing data from 99.co and SRX, which tracked HDB resale flats sold for at least S$1 million, the overall million-dollar resale units share was at 7.8%.
Between May 2025 and May 2026, the number of million-dollar resale transactions ranged from 87 to 172 units per month.
There were 143 units transacted in May last year, followed by 132 in June, 169 in July and 141 in August. The figure rose to 172 in September before falling to 87 in October. It then increased to 120 in November and 145 in December.
This year, January recorded 146 transactions, before the figure fell to 122 in February, rose to 145 in March, and dipped again to 138 in April. The figure then rose to 166 transactions in May.
A five-room HDB flat at Pinnacle@Duxton recorded the highest transacted price for last month at S$1.63 million.
The unit, located at Block 1B Cantonment Road, spanning 1,130 square feet (sq ft), or about S$1,442 per square foot (psf), fetched a price 5.2% higher than the average resale price of five-room flats at Pinnacle@Duxton.
Meanwhile, Bukit Merah recorded the highest number of million-dollar resale flats at 22 units, followed by Toa Payoh and Queenstown with 21 units each.
Last month, a four-room HDB flat at Bukit Merah with only 45 years left on lease was sold for a record S$1.53 million. /TISG
Read also: Million-dollar HDB resale flats rise nearly 50% to over 1,500 in 2025
This article (Million-dollar HDB resale flats rose to 166 units in May after April dip) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.
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The post Using Zoning Systems with a Springfield MO HVAC Contractor for Custom Comfort appeared first on Social Lifestyle Magazine.
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SINGAPORE: One Raffles Place, one of the most recognisable office developments in Singapore’s central business district, has drawn interest from several potential buyers, according to sources who spoke to Bloomberg.
The property, which is being marketed for more than $2.3 billion (US$1.8 billion), has attracted interest from a range of parties including father-and-son property investors Raj Kumar and Kishin RK, Malaysian developer IOI Properties Group Bhd and Singapore-based asset manager CapitaLand Investment Ltd, Bloomberg reported.
Located in the heart of the financial district, One Raffles Place comprises two office towers and a retail mall. The development is among a growing number of commercial properties in Singapore drawing renewed attention as financing conditions improve and sellers show greater flexibility on pricing.
The majority stake in the complex is held by OUE REIT, which is backed by the Indonesian Riady family. The real estate investment trust owns 81.54 per cent of the property, while United Overseas Bank holds the remaining 18.46 per cent and occupies premises within the development.
In a February exchange filing, OUE REIT said it had begun an exercise with UOB to gauge market interest in the property.
A spokesperson for OUE REIT said the trust would decide on its next steps after evaluating the outcome of the exercise. UOB declined to comment, while representatives for RB Capital, the property firm linked to Raj Kumar and Kishin RK, also declined to comment. CapitaLand Investment and IOI Properties did not respond to requests for comment.
Despite the interest, market observers say the scale of the deal presents challenges. The asking price is considered substantial, making it difficult for a single buyer to complete the acquisition. Similar concerns have surfaced in relation to Marina One, another major city-centre asset that has been linked to a potential sale valued at around $5.7 billion.
Based on the valuation of OUE REIT’s stake at the end of 2025, One Raffles Place was valued at approximately $2.37 billion. The property offers 65,309 square metres, or about 702,980 square feet, of lettable space.
Some potential buyers are also said to be weighing the likelihood of additional redevelopment costs. While parts of the complex benefit from long-term leases stretching centuries into the future, much of the development dates back to the 1980s. One of the towers and a quarter of the retail space are held under long-duration leases, while the remaining tower and 75 per cent of the retail component have leases that expire by the 2080s, according to people familiar with the matter.
IOI Properties, controlled by Malaysian businessman Datuk Lee Yeow Seng, has been steadily expanding its footprint in Singapore through a series of acquisitions. Most recently, the company agreed to acquire Asia Square Tower 2 for $2.48 billion.
CapitaLand Investment, which is backed by Temasek Holdings, manages stakes across multiple REITs and private real estate funds.
Raj Kumar and Kishin RK, meanwhile, are linked to several firms including Royal Holdings and RB Capital, and oversee a property portfolio in Singapore that includes RB Capital Building, located beside One Raffles Place.
This article (Singapore’s $2.3b office attracts interest from international tycoons) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.
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