TOKYO - Concerns have grown around the Harumi Flag area, the former Olympic Village turned residential complex, where a series of mysterious key boxes have been found.
On November 28, the CEO of a real estate firm was formally cited for his involvement in this unusual phenomenon, shedding light on the purpose behind these installations.
The Harumi district, known for its waterfront location and excellent access to central Tokyo, has attracted prospective homebuyers. However, residents have expressed unease over the appearance of these unexplained key boxes attached to utility poles, fences, and other public structures.
A local resident commented, 'It's extremely unsettling. I believe there are quite a significant number of these.'
Complaints from residents began surfacing in late May, particularly in Tokyo’s Chuo Ward, where about 30 such key boxes were discovered by summer. Although many have since been removed, some still remain, all using combination locks.
The investigation revealed that at least one of these boxes, containing keys for vacant apartments, was installed by a 52-year-old real estate CEO. He reportedly attached the box to a public fence near Harumi Flag without authorization, obstructing administrative work by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, which oversees the property.
The CEO explained that the practice aimed to facilitate apartment viewings by leaving keys in accessible locations. Potential buyers could receive the lock code remotely and retrieve the keys themselves. This was reportedly done to save time compared to personally handing over the keys to other real estate agents.
While placing key boxes within apartment grounds is a common practice in the industry, the CEO cited strict regulations by local management associations in Harumi as a reason for resorting to public installations.
Kiri Sakaguchi of Meguro-Setagaya Real Estate criticized the move, saying, 'Keys entrusted to agents by sellers must be handled securely. Leaving them in public spaces risks theft and damages trust in the industry.'
Though speculations arose about the key boxes being linked to short-term rentals like Airbnb, police confirmed that most were used for property viewings.
Even this month, over 10 unauthorized key boxes have been discovered across the Harumi, Kachidoki, and Tsukuda districts. Authorities are continuing their investigation into the matter.
Source: TBS
