The Japanese government has released data revealing that approximately 3 percent of land and buildings acquired in nationally significant security zones during the 2024 fiscal year were purchased by foreign individuals or entities, with mainland Chinese buyers accounting for nearly half of these foreign acquisitions. According to NHK reporting, this information comes as Japan implements stricter controls over strategically important properties near military and critical infrastructure sites.
Japanese law now regulates land purchases in areas deemed crucial for national security. The government has designated zones surrounding Self-Defense Force facilities, nuclear power plants, and other vital installations as either “areas of concern” or “areas of special concern” under this legal framework. The recent data covers all land and building transactions within these protected zones throughout the 2024 fiscal year.
Of the 113,827 newly acquired properties identified within these security-sensitive areas, 3,498 transactions involved foreign buyers, representing 3.1 percent of the total. Mainland Chinese individuals and corporations led with 1,674 acquisitions, followed by Taiwan with 414 purchases and South Korea with 378 transactions.
Under current legislation, the government possesses authority to issue orders or advisories if land use within these zones interferes with the functioning of important facilities. Authorities can demand cessation of specific land activities deemed problematic. However, the government confirmed that no cases warranting such intervention were identified during this statistical survey period, suggesting all foreign acquisitions complied with existing regulations and posed no immediate concerns to national security operations.
Source: NHK, December 16, 2025
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/zh/news/20251216_ML04/