Love Hotel Operator Arrested for Lending Nintendo/Wii Software

We previously posted on the raid by the Police of a Love Hotel operator being raised for suspicion of breaching copyright by lending Ninetendo and Wii games to customers

http://japanrealestatecommentary.blogspot.com/2011/01/nintendo-gets-tough-on-love-hotelss.html

The latest news is that raid has resulted in an arrest of the Leisure Hotel operator; which continues the tough line taken by the Police and copyright owners against Love Hotel operators
http://www.leisurehotel.net/topics2/topic_110201.html

Japan's Commercial Real Estate falls 20% in last 2 1/2 years

apan is experiencing continued economic hardship as commercial real estate is down significantly over the past couple of years. Experts are not anticipating a major turnaround anytime soon, as Japan continues to recover from a widespread economic downturn in the real estate markets. See the following article from Property Wire for more on this.

Japanese commercial real estate markets has fallen by almost 20% over the two and a half years to the end of the third quarter 2010, the latest data shows.

Japan, the world’s second-largest commercial property market by value, is one of the few major real estate markets to continue to record capital depreciation, reflecting the country’s weak economic growth.

By the end of the third quarter of last year, up to which point IPD has its most current Japanese data, UK, the US and Australia had all emerged into positive capital growth. In the UK, the rebound was a significant 17.4%, while the US had risen by 5.5% over the previous six months and Australia had recovered by a modest 1.1%.

Back in Japan, the annual rate of capital depreciation was -6.3% at the end of September 2010, the shallowest rate of capital decline since December 2008 and a significant improvement on the -12.2% annual capital growth rate in September 2009.

The retail sector, driven by improved consumer confidence, has continued to buck the trend of the broader market by showing an upturn in the capital growth recovery, ending September with an annual capital return of -2.8%. This is the shallowest rate of capital depreciation since July 2008.

At the other extreme is offices, which is running at an annual capital depreciation of -8.3%, reflecting the continuing economic malaise. Between the two sectors is residential, which had an annual capital growth rate of -4.5% to end September 2010.

‘There is no immediate end in sight to the two and a half year unbroken period of capital write-downs. Each quarter brings, at best, modest improvements. The market would benefit from increased transactions, which would boost confidence and provide a deeper insight into the property fundamentals,’ said Toshiro Nishioka, managing director at IPD Japan. 

http://www.nuwireinvestor.com/articles/commercial-real-estate-down-by-20-in-japan-56910.aspx

Hotel For the Dead -

LiSS Center Shin-Kiba attracted media attention soon after it opened in December in Koto Ward, Tokyo, because of its unique status as a "business hotel for the dead."

The Shin-Kiba area where the facility stands is mostly occupied by factories, timber storage pools and lumber companies.

The facility keeps bodies of the deceased until families decide on the funeral arrangements. One night's "stay" costs 7,350 yen. It has a refrigerated morgue, which can hold up to 37 "guests," and a tatami mat room where bereaved relatives can stay overnight to reminisce about the person they have lost.

"It's my hope that family members can take the time they need here to discuss what kind of funeral would be suitable," said Nyokai Matsushima, 73, owner of the facility.

Currently, about 80 percent of people die in hospitals. After someone has died, family members have to decide which funeral company they will use, and this is usually done very hastily.

For a long time Matsushima had reservations about this way of doing things.

As soon as the facility opened, a family from Tokyo made a reservation for a 10-night stay, according to Matsushima.

Matsushima is actually a failed monk. He started his monastic training when he was 20, at a temple in Beppu, Oita Prefecture, but dropped out after three years as he "couldn't attain enlightenment," he said.

Having worked at more than 10 different jobs, including a real estate office, Matsushima opened a cemetery in Tokyo at the age of 49, and began to offer new, innovative styles of funeral.

These include graves that are permanently looked after for those who have no one left behind to tend to them; graves which can be "visited" online; and a system that allows clients to arrange their funerals while they are still alive.

"As soon as I hit on an idea for a funeral-related service that answers a current need, I spring into action," Matsushima said. "Of course, I've had more than my fair share of failures in the past." That said, his ideas just seem to keep on coming.

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T110208004237.htm

Japan Love Hotels - New Law Starts with Police Audits

The new regulations regarding the classification of Love Hotels commenced on 1st January 2011. Love hotels which met the definitions of the new law were required to be registered with the Police by 31 January 2011.

The law required love hotels to be registered with the Police if -

- "rest" pricing is advertised
- concealed carparks are provided
- there is not enough interaction between customers and staff on checkin/checkout
- in room payments machines are available

The article below describes how from 1 February 2011, the Police have started audits and compliance checks of all love hotels to ensure that hotels now classified as "love hotels" are registered with the Police.

The article describes how one hotel was found by the Police to be in breach; but doesnt describe what sanction was applied. But a breach of the Public Morals Act, such as a failure to register with the Police can result in criminal sanctions.

http://news.kanaloco.jp/localnews/article/1102010049/