Abe positive on restricting some land trade by foreigners

November 28, 2017

Tokyo- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday signaled his positive stance toward restricting foreigners' acquisitions of land plots around Self-Defense Forces facilities and on remote islands near the country's borders with other nations.

"We'll thoroughly consider what measures we should take, while conducting necessary surveys and taking into full account discussions in the ruling bloc," Abe told a meeting of the House of Representatives Budget Committee.

He made the remark in response to a question from Isshu Sugawara of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, who expressed concern that foreigners' purchases of land around defense facilities could pose national security threats.

"I understand this is a crucial issue concerning national security," Abe said. "The government is working to keep updated on land ownership."

At the committee meeting, Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera reported the outcome of a recent survey of the ownership of land located next to some 530 of about 650 SDF and US military facilities across Japan.

The survey found four cases of land possession by apparent foreigners, all in Tokyo's 23 wards, he said.

But Onodera said it has been confirmed that none of the cases is affecting SDF or US military operations. Jiji Press