According to Knight Frank LLP, Singapore became the largest investor in Japan’s real estate market this year, drawn in by the weak yen and rising demand in the logistics and hospitality sectors.
In a report released this month, the city-state has brought in about US$3 billion (RM14 billion) so far in 2023, followed by investors from the US, Canada, and the United Arab Emirates.
Christine Li, head of Asia-Pacific research at Knight Frank, said that the purchase of six warehouses in Japan by Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC Pte from Blackstone Inc. for US$800 million played a big role in that.
GIC Chief Investment Officer Jeffrey Jaensubhakij recently labeled Japan as a “very cheap” market with significant upside potential. International investors are drawn to the country’s low borrowing rates and the post-pandemic tourism boom, which has led to increased investment in hotels.
According to MSCI Real Assets, foreign investors such as Goldman Sachs Group Inc, KKR & Co, and Blackstone Inc have spent a total of US$2 billion on hotel deals in Japan so far in 2023, the most compared to any other sector in Asian commercial property.
Based on the analysis from Knight Frank, the rise in hybrid work arrangements and increased supply in Japan have reduced investors’ interest in the office sector.