Location is key in Tokyo office market's bifurcated recovery

70% attendance has become 'new normal' as hybrid work remains popular

20240514 Harumi aereal view

Overlooking Tokyo Bay, Harumi was a wharf and shipyard area until the 1980s that has been developed into a commercial and residential area. (Source: Mizuho Miyazaki)

MITSURU OBE, Nikkei Asia chief business news correspondent

TOKYO -- Tokyo's office market has bottomed out after a four-year COVID-induced downturn, but experts warn of a two-speed recovery as the spread of hybrid work leaves office space in some locations struggling to find tenants.

In Marunouchi, Japan's main financial center, demand for office space has been recovering over the past year. But in Harumi, just 3 kilometers away, vacancy rates are stuck above 20%, according to data from Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking.

Sponsored Content

About Sponsored ContentThis content was commissioned by Nikkei's Global Business Bureau.