Real Estate M&A as a New Method for Safely Buying Property in Japan

Last Updated: 3月 26, 2026

Property Access Partners with REMA Consultant Association and Loca Management to promote a new investment scheme through Real Estate M&A and to ensure fair and secure market practices.

What is Real Estate M&A

In recent years, real estate M&A has attracted growing attention as an exit strategy in Japan’s real estate market. This approach involves transferring ownership of real estate by acquiring shares or equity interests in the company that owns the property, thereby effectively changing control of the asset through a change in corporate ownership.

In typical real estate transactions, the property itself is transferred, whereas in real estate M&A, the transaction involves transferring the corporation that owns the property. This approach offers the advantage of allowing succession while preserving contractual and credit relationships with banks and financial institutions. On the other hand, because this transaction is structured as a share transfer, a solid understanding of legal, tax, and accounting matters is essential—and the valuation of the underlying real estate asset remains a key consideration.

In other words, real estate M&A is not a mere extension of general M&A but a transaction that requires a deep understanding of real estate and expertise in its marketing practices.

Therefore, Real Estate M&A Consultant Association General Incorporated Association (“REMA Consultant Association”) will offer training and certification for “Real Estate M&A Consultants,” with a primary focus on professionals in the real estate industry. Loca Management K.K. (“Loca Management”) will provide strong support to these consultants in key areas such as taxation, legal affairs, and real estate valuation, ensuring the delivery of secure and highly transparent transaction schemes.

Benefits for Foreign Investors

Through this partnership, Property Access can now introduce overseas investors, particularly from Singapore, South Korea, and the Philippines where the company has strong business bases, to investment opportunities in "corporations," in addition to the traditional sale of physical real estate. This ensures investors receive secure transactions with tax and legal matters thoroughly managed, creating a new model of real estate marketing within the Japanese market.

The scheme offers the advantage of transferring the “corporation holding real estate” as the transaction subject, enabling the seamless continuation of contractual and credit relationships with financial institutions, including bank accounts that are typically difficult to open, without disruption.