Compared to Tokyo, Osaka is favored by foreign capital due to its approachable property prices. Osaka is a diversified demand market; beyond massive tourist and vacation rental demand, it also features local housing demand, business travel, and the needs of overseas investors. Recently, FMI has even pioneered a brand-new business venture—student accommodation services. We are currently discussing cooperation details with multiple language schools, targeting international students and individuals working in Japan on short-term stints.

Stable International Student Base Unaffected by Peak and Off-Peak Seasons

As of last year, the number of international students in Japan has exceeded 400,000 and continues to rise annually. The primary reason for such a massive customer base is that local international students are not just young people entering universities; they also include many individuals who graduated years ago and hope to develop their careers in Japan through studying, most of whom enroll in Japanese language schools or vocational schools. This customer base is extremely stable with high occupancy rates, and more importantly, it is entirely unaffected by seasonal tourism fluctuations.

FMI's Osaka office previously employed international students from Hong Kong, giving us a deep understanding of their needs. For international students newly arriving in the country, language barriers are the primary hurdle in renting a home. Lease agreements involve complex Japanese legal documents, and local agents or landlords may not be able to explain them clearly in fluent English, often tending to reject foreign tenants. Furthermore, Japanese culture places an extreme emphasis on "not causing trouble for others," leading landlords to generally worry that cultural differences might cause disturbances for neighbors. Consequently, many international students actively seek out properties owned by foreign landlords.

The greatest convenience of purchasing property through FMI lies in our in-house property management company, "Chief of Homes," which provides a one-stop leasing and management service. Our team members hail from Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, and Taiwan, are fluent in Cantonese, Mandarin, English, and Japanese, and offer 24-hour comprehensive support. Regardless of which country an international student tenant comes from, the moment any issue arises, our team steps in immediately to assist, completely freeing overseas owners from any worries.

Osaka Poised to Upgrade to Vice-Capital, with Strong Growth Momentum in Land Prices and Rents

The "Vice-Capital Bill" was officially passed last month, with the final results expected to be unveiled as early as this autumn. Although it is still in the bidding stage, Osaka commands the strongest momentum. The establishment of a vice-capital aims to vigorously promote regional economic circles and disperse the power and population overly concentrated in Tokyo.

If Osaka is successfully selected as the vice-capital, its future transportation networks and urban infrastructure will undergo comprehensive upgrades, which will also attract more large corporations to relocate their headquarters from Tokyo to Osaka, further driving population inflow and pushing up local rents and property prices. In fact, the growth in Osaka's land prices in recent years has already been quite staggering. Even after the World Expo, demand remains robust, with land prices in areas like Shinsaibashi and Namba surging by as much as 25%. Once the vice-capital status is finalized, this upward trend is expected to expand even further.

FMI has been deeply rooted in Osaka for over a decade, building a solid network of connections through its reputation. In recent years, backed by ample capital, whenever prime land plots are put up for sale, we are often able to secure them first. Despite soaring land prices, we still hold several "prime land plots" in our hands. At the same time, we have set an even more challenging goal for our team—to craft a unique character and style for every single project. For instance, "The Peak Shinsaibashi Tsuki" and "The Peak Namba Minami Reserve" represent two entirely distinct design concepts. Everyone can look forward to even more distinctive projects from us in the future!