Housing Japan

In this episode of the Housing Japan Podcast, we unpack Japan’s landmark 2026 cryptocurrency tax reform blueprint and explore how it could trigger a major wave of capital from Bitcoin and Ethereum holders into Tokyo’s luxury real estate market. Drawing on a detailed February 6, 2026 analysis, this conversation traces the bridge between digital wealth and the concrete towers of Minato, Shibuya, and Chiyoda. The episode opens by laying out the current pain point for Japanese crypto investors: gains are classified as miscellaneous income, stacked onto salary, and taxed at a punishing rate of up to 55%, 45% national plus 10% local, with no loss carry forward to offset bad years against good ones. The discussion then turns to the proposed reform from the Liberal Democratic Party and the Japan Innovation Party, which would reclassify crypto under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act and apply a flat 20% separate tax rate, alongside a three-year loss carry forward system aligning crypto with traditional equities. The hosts walk through the legislative timeline, from the December 2025 reform outline to amendment bills entering the diet in early 2026, with a likely effective date of January 1, 2028, and explain why this two-year gap creates a powerful incentive for investors to hold rather than sell. Crucially, the reform applies only to specified crypto assets handled by registered exchanges, covering roughly 105 cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ripple, while staking rewards, lending yields, and NFT profits are expected to remain in the 55% miscellaneous bucket. The conversation then pivots to Tokyo’s red-hot property market, where used condominium prices in greater Tokyo rose 37.5% year on year as of March 2025, central ward averages exceed 120 million yen, occupancy sits above 97%, and rental yields hold at 3 to 6%. With the Bank of Japan policy rate at 0.75% as of April 2026 and a weak yen offering foreign buyers an effective discount, the hosts explain why crypto wealth is poised to flow into prime wards and redevelopment corridors, and remind listeners that foreigners face zero legal restrictions on buying freehold property in Japan. Listeners will come away understanding the “hold and fold” strategy, waiting until 2028 to realize crypto gains at 20%, then redeploying that capital into stable, tangible Tokyo assets. Listen to the podcast now! Read the full article on Japan’s Cryptocurrency 2026 Tax change Search luxury and Investment real estate with Housing Japan now This is not financial advice. All investments carry risk. The post Housing Japan Podcast Episode 4: Japan’s 2028 Crypto Tax Cut & Tokyo Property first appeared on Housing Japan.

In the third episode of the Housing Japan Podcast, we sit down with Alfie Goodrich, a British-born photographer who has called Tokyo home for over two decades. His career spans music industry PR, royal photography, and partnerships with global brands like McLaren, Rolls Royce, and Time magazine. For the past decade, Alfie has worked closely with Housing Japan, capturing luxury properties and contributing to the newly relaunched LUXE Magazine.Alfie’s path to Japan began through the music industry. While managing a London record label, he travelled to Tokyo to secure Japanese distribution. Though he studied photography at art school, it was only after leaving the music business in 2001 that he turned his camera into a full-time career. When he relocated to Tokyo, Alfie made a conscious decision to focus solely on photography.His collaboration with Housing Japan started around 2015 with rental property shoots. That relationship grew into larger projects, including the Gravitas development. Beyond property photography, Alfie took on the company’s original magazine, eventually producing six issues before it went on hiatus during the pandemic. In 2024, he led the creative team behind LUXE Magazine, a complete rebrand that shifts toward a more photo-forward, lifestyle-focused publication.The debut issue features stories ranging from a snowy road trip to Karuizawa to a profile on a woman continuing her late husband’s wooden handle-making business. A future issue will include a feature on a young beekeeper in Nagano reviving his grandfather’s Japanese honeybee operation.Throughout the conversation, Alfie shares practical insights for photographers, from previsualization techniques to the importance of building good taste through books, films, and exhibitions.LUXE Magazine is available online at luxemagazine.jp and in select locations across Tokyo. See the LUXE Magazine Website See Alfie Goodrich’s website Listen to the podcast now!The post Housing Japan Podcast Episode 3: Behind the Lens with Alfie Goodrich first appeared on Housing Japan.

In the second episode of the Housing Japan Podcast, we sit down with Harumi, a Housing Japan sales agent who spent two decades in the United States before bringing her international real estate experience back to Tokyo. Her cross-border perspective offers a rare lens on what foreign buyers should actually expect when purchasing luxury property in Japan. Born and raised in Japan, Harumi met her American husband and relocated first to London for five years before settling in Connecticut, just outside New York City, where she eventually moved from being a stay-at-home mom into a career as a real estate agent. After working in one of America’s most saturated markets, where she notes, California sometimes has more agents than listings, she joined Housing Japan six months ago, bringing with her a comparative understanding of how luxury property markets operate on both sides of the Pacific. The conversation tackles the misconceptions that keep many foreign buyers on the sidelines, starting with the biggest one: the belief that you need a visa to purchase property in Japan. Harumi explains that foreign nationals have the same purchasing rights as Japanese citizens, and addresses common concerns about earthquake safety, noting that modern buildings, and even many older ones built before current standards, remain structurally sound. She shares why she favors Minato Ward for its energy while living in Setagaya and weighs in on the appeal of Jiyugaoka and Daikanyama, which are just 15 to 20 minutes from central Tokyo yet feel worlds away. Harumi also previews an upcoming Housing Japan listing: a rare 10-year-old single-family home in Minato Ward with four bedrooms, 165 square meters across three stories, two separate bathrooms, and private parking, an unusually large, detached property for central Tokyo. She closes with practical guidance on what to prioritize when buying, from station proximity for rental investments to the flexibility of buying for personal use. Listeners will come away with a clearer understanding of how foreign buyers can confidently enter the Tokyo market and what separates a smart purchase from a sentimental one. Listen to the podcast now! Search Luxury and Investment property for sale in Tokyo with Housing Japan nowThe post Housing Japan Podcast Episode 2: Buying Tokyo Property as a Foreigner with Harumi first appeared on Housing Japan.

In the debut episode of the Housing Japan Podcast, we sit down with sales agents Ki and Darian for an inside look at Tokyo’s luxury real estate market, from the rising prices of central Tokyo to the redevelopment reshaping Tsukiji. This first conversation sets the stage for a series exploring Japan’s most exclusive addresses, neighborhoods, and the people moving the market. Ki, born and raised in Tokyo, joined Housing Japan in July after years in suburban residential real estate, where most of his clients were buying homes around the 20-million-yen range with housing loans, a market he says looks nothing like today’s. Darian, originally from Singapore, came to Japan in 2018 for university and entered the real estate industry in 2022 before joining Housing Japan in January, where he’s built a client base spanning rentals, investment purchases, and family home sales. The conversation digs into why Tokyo prices continue climbing despite Japan’s shrinking population, with Ki pointing to rising construction costs and growing foreign investment, and noting that Tokyo still trades at a discount compared to other major global cities. Darian shares a notable shift he’s seeing on the ground: families are increasingly drawn to detached houses over tower mansions, partly due to tightening rules and regulations in high-end mansion developments. The pair break down which neighborhoods they consider undervalued, including Itabashi for its convenience and residential feel, and which ones, like Shibuya and west Shinjuku, they see as overpriced. Ki also highlights the massive Tsukiji market redevelopment, slated for completion in 2038, which will bring residences, offices, and a dome to the area and could dramatically reshape values. They close with a look at Housing Japan’s most active hunting ground: the “3A+R” neighborhoods, Azabu, Akasaka, Aoyama, and Roppongi, where listings move fast and prices keep climbing. Listeners will come away with a grounded snapshot of where Tokyo’s luxury market stands today, which neighborhoods are worth watching, and how buyer preferences are shifting between mansions and detached homes. Listen to the podcast now! Search Luxury and Investment property for sale in Tokyo with Housing Japan nowThe post Housing Japan Podcast Episode 1: Inside Tokyo’s Luxury Market with Ki & Darian first appeared on Housing Japan.