Fukuoka

Rent Rate

	Tenjin Minami Station	Nishitetsu Fukuoka Station	Nakasu-Kawabata Station	Chiyo Kenchoguchi Station	Tenjin Station
1R	48,100JPY	50,200JPY	49,400JPY	39,800JPY	55,100JPY
1K	51,600JPY	53,100 JPYJPY	52,300JPY	43,700JPY	55,500JPY
1LDK	77,100JPY	81,400JPY	72,300JPY	66,800JPY	80,000JPY
2LDK	115,400JPY	115,500JPY	97,400JPY	94,700JPY	108,500JPY

Fukuoka City

While the entire population of Japan has been decreasing in recent years, Fukuoka City’s population has actually been rising, and as of January 2014 it had the number 1 population growth rate in the country. This is expected to continue and has brought a lot of business to the city. Also, Fukuoka Airport is only a short 5 minute trade ride away from Hakata and the public transportation infrastructure is on par with other large cities like Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya. While this area may seem very far from Tokyo, it is actually possible to arrive in Hakata after a short 1 and a half hour flight.

The city boasts a very large population of people in their 20’s due to the large number of universities like Kyushu University, Fukuoka University, and Kyushu Industrial University located within city limits. Most students prefer to use bicycles or buses to travel within the city so even properties that do not contain a parking lot can still be a very safe and profitable investment.

Also, Fukuoka city has access to both Nishi Tetsu and JR train lines making travel very convenient. There are also many busses that run to the center of the city so even properties that are located far away from Hakata or Tenjin Station have a high rental demand.

Previously the areas of Nishi Ward and Higashi Ward were considered too quiet and not very good for investment, but recently the area has experienced a lot of new developments which has made it livelier and just as viable as the central parts of the city for real estate investing.

Kita Kyushu City

Also, including the neighboring Shimonoseki City, this area, known as the Kanmon Metropolitan Area, is Japan’s largest urban area outside of the major administrative districts (Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and Hokkaido). In the past, Kita Kyushu had the largest population due to its steel and industrial sectors, but with the growth of Fukuoka City the area has seen a steady decline in its population. That being said, as the city is located near the ocean and has good access to the rest of Japan, there are still many business active in the area and have continued to support the city’s economy.

In terms of Kita Kyushu’s Wards, Kokura Kita Ward is home to a large number office buildings as well as apartments aimed at single tenants. The area also has convenient transportation to the rest of the city via monorail so the rental demand in this area is quite high.
Yahata Nishi Ward and Kokura Minami Ward contain a large number of homes and apartments aimed at family tenants so the area serves as a popular “bed town” for the Kokura area.
Also, the Kanda area contains a large number of automobile and industrial companies so it is common for workers to live in Kita Kyushu City and commute to work every day.
Plans for reducing vacancy risk are important in suburban areas, but if a property is located near an industrial area, it is possible to maintain a very high occupancy rate.

The biggest point to watch out for when considering properties in Kita Kyushu city is whether or not a business or tenant is associated with a criminal organization. This is especially common in Kokura Kita Ward, but it is also important to thoroughly inspect all current and potential tenants regardless of the location in the city. However, the recent efforts to eliminate these types of organizations has been successful and the numbers have begun to decrease. If all of these organizations can be removed, it is very likely that the city becomes classified as an ordinance-designated city which would attract even more people to the area.