Acquiring property in Japan: now's the time

[thomas]

If you are a foreign investor, that is. The yen depreciation has triggered increased interest in Japanese real estate, now called "bargain property". Who would have thought thirty years ago?

A 40-something Chinese investor recently agreed to purchase a one-bedroom apartment in Tokyo at a "bargain" price between 30 million yen ($221,800) and 40 million yen. But instead of living there, the buyer is taking advantage of the weak yen to make a timely investment. [...] The prices of Japanese properties on the website have risen about 10 to 30 percent in terms of the yen over the past seven years, but fell in yuan thanks to the recent depreciation of the Japanese currency. Primary users of the website are Chinese in their 30s to 40s, most of whom buy one-room apartments in cash offered in the range between 10 million yen and 20 million yen each, according to the site operator.

Weak yen lures foreign investors seeking bargain properties | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis

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asia.nikkei.com