BlackRock helps revive Japan's property market

[TOKYO] BlackRock Inc, the world's biggest money manager, is helping to drive a revival in Japan's property market as investors bet Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's plan to sustain economic growth will boost real estate returns.

BlackRock is looking for investments outside of Tokyo this year as it seeks higher yields, said John Saunders, managing director and head of Asian real estate. Japan real estate investment trusts (J-Reits) acquired properties worth 2.23 trillion yen (S$27.6 billion) in 2013, almost triple the previous year, after raising a record amount of cash from equity sales, according to the Association for Real Estate Securitization.

Real estate investment has climbed since Mr Abe pledged to end more than a decade of deflation and the Bank of Japan (BOA) eased monetary policy, sparking growth in commercial land values and a drop in office vacancy rates.