Tourism Surge Drives Land Prices Up in Hokkaido

Jul 02, 2025 | News On Japan

HOKKAIDO, Jul 02, 2025 (News On Japan) - Hokkaido's land price growth rankings have revealed Furano City as the top performer in the region, driven by a surge in foreign tourists. According to roadside land value data released on July 1st, Furano’s Kitanomine district saw a 30.2% increase over 2024 levels, reaching 82,000 yen per square meter.

The jump reflects Furano’s popularity among inbound travelers. Annual overnight stays by foreign visitors in the area have reached 250,000—more than four times the level of a decade ago. A local resident commented, "Most of the people you see around here aren’t locals—probably 80% are foreign tourists. Lots of new houses are being built too."

The second-highest increase was recorded at JR Sapporo Station North Exit in Kita 7-jo Nishi 4-chome, Sapporo, where land values rose 11.4%. Although the planned extension of the Hokkaido Shinkansen to Sapporo has been delayed, redevelopment projects including condominiums and hotels are ongoing.

In third place was Shinkai 4-chome in Tomakomai City, with an 8.1% increase. This growth is believed to be influenced by the spillover effect from semiconductor manufacturer Rapidus’s expansion into neighboring Chitose City. A Tomakomai resident remarked, "Since it’s close to Chitose, people are looking to buy land here. With large shopping centers nearby, I think land prices will keep going up."

Across Hokkaido, the average increase in roadside land value was 2.4%, marking the tenth consecutive year of growth. However, this represents a significant slowdown compared to the 5.2% rise seen in 2024, and for the first time in a decade, Hokkaido’s growth rate fell below the national average.

The deceleration is partly attributed to rising construction costs, especially in and around Sapporo, which have made it harder for individuals and businesses to purchase land.

Source: 北海道ニュースUHB

'Most Dangerous Storm of the Year' Approaches Kanto

Typhoon No. 25 was closing in on the Kanto region on September 21 while maintaining strong intensity, with the large storm estimated at 2 p.m. to be passing through the southern Izu Islands between Hachijojima and Miyakejima and moving northeast at 25 kilometers per hour, raising the risk of record rainfall and disaster-level winds across Kanto and the Izu Islands as leisure and commercial facilities temporarily closed in preparation for worsening conditions.

Typhoon Causes Widespread Transport Disruption Across Kanto

Transport disruption across eastern Japan intensified through the afternoon of September 21 as large and strong Typhoon No. 25 approached Kanto, with at least 275 ANA and Japan Airlines flights canceled, more than 100 cancellations at Narita Airport, conventional rail services suspended across parts of Kanagawa and Chiba prefectures, and extensive expressway closures affecting routes around Tokyo and the Boso Peninsula.

Japan's Elderly Population Hits Record 29.6%

People aged 65 and older accounted for a record 29.6% of Japan's population in 2026, the highest proportion among major countries worldwide, while the number of elderly people in employment also reached an all-time high as Japan marked Respect for the Aged Day on September 21.

Emperor and Empress Watch Asian Games Basketball

Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako watched Japan defeat Kazakhstan in a women’s basketball preliminary-round game at the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya.

Drone Hits Nagoya City Hall During Asian Games Light-Up

A drone filming the illuminated Nagoya City Hall headquarters crashed into a building across the road shortly before 9 p.m. on September 17, with police investigating whether the flight may have violated Japan's Civil Aeronautics Act.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Business NEWS

Tokyo Market Closed as Yen Intervention Watch Dominates Silver Week

Tokyo’s stock market was closed on September 21 for Respect for the Aged Day, leaving the Nikkei 225 without a cash close after finishing the previous session at 65,019, while currency and futures markets focused on the yen, the Bank of Japan’s latest rate hike and intervention risks during Japan’s Silver Week holiday.

Five-Day Holiday Puts Japan's Cost-of-Living Pressures in Focus

Japan's first five-day Silver Week holiday in 11 years has put renewed attention on household finances, with persistently high food prices and a weakening yen threatening to erode the benefits of the government's planned consumption tax cut on food.

Seventeen Tabs Open and Still No Decision

A list of providers with identical promises turns selection into brute-force sorting. The differences do exist; they are just hidden somewhere other than the homepage.

Japan's Return to Higher Rates Squeezes Households and Firms

The Bank of Japan raised its policy rate from 1.0% to 1.25% on September 18, taking borrowing costs to their highest level in 31 years and accelerating the pace of monetary tightening as persistent inflation and concerns over fiscal expansion put upward pressure on interest rates.

Yen Strengthens Sharply as Intervention Warning Rattles Market

The yen strengthened by more than 1 yen against the dollar in a short period late on September 18 after the Bank of Japan conducted a rate check, a step commonly taken in preparation for possible intervention in the foreign exchange market.

Nikkei Rallies as BOJ Rate Hike Weakens Yen and Lifts AI Shares

Tokyo stocks rose sharply on September 18, with the Nikkei 225 climbing to around 65,350 in afternoon trading after the Bank of Japan raised interest rates to 1.25%, as the yen weakened and investors bought artificial intelligence and semiconductor-related shares.

BOJ Raises Policy Rate to 1.25% as Yen Weakens

The Bank of Japan raised its policy interest rate from 1.0% to 1.25% on September 18, lifting borrowing costs to their highest level in 31 years as policymakers moved to contain growing inflation risks, but the yen weakened sharply after the decision as markets focused on two dissenting votes and uncertainty over the pace of further increases.

Market Spreads: Understanding Bid-Ask Spreads, Trading Costs and Spread Strategies

A market spread is generally the difference between two market prices. Most commonly, traders use the term to describe the bid-ask spread: the difference between the highest price a buyer is currently prepared to pay and the lowest price a seller is prepared to accept.

< 2 3 4 5 >