Survey Reveals 50% of Japanese Fear Loss of Resources Due to Foreign Land Acquisition, URUHOME Reports

Land in Urbanization Control Areas and areas outside city planning zones is inexpensive but often difficult to utilize, making it generally unpopular. However, in recent years, there has been an increase in cases of such affordable land being purchased by foreign capital and individuals, giving rise to strong concerns regarding management, public safety, and national defense. In response, URUHOME, a real estate problem-solving website operated by Dream Planning Inc., conducted a survey of 353 individuals interested in real estate to gauge their concerns.

The survey was conducted from February 21 to March 16, 2026. Respondents were approximately 56% male and 44% female, with the 40-50 age group being the largest at 35.1%.

When asked about their biggest concern regarding land purchases by foreign capital and individuals, the results were as follows:
1. Loss of water and other resources to foreign entities, making them unavailable to Japanese people (50.1%)
2. Land occupied by foreign capital being used as a political base (45.0%)
3. Increased potential for attacks on strategically important defense locations (35.4%)
4. Decline of Japanese culture due to immigration of foreigners (24.4%)
5. Decline in self-sufficiency of agriculture and fisheries, leading to food shortages (21.0%)

The results indicate a strong sense of crisis that the foundations of national life and security are being directly threatened. The top two concerns, "loss of water/resources" and "use as a political base," were particularly prominent. This reflects a high level of public anxiety about essential resources like water being monopolized and Japanese territory being used as a political or military foothold by other countries.

Respondents who chose the top concern expressed deep-seated fears, with comments like, "I'm scared that once we sell our water sources and fertile land, they will never return to Japanese hands," and "It’s no laughing matter to think we might wake up one day and find all our water sources belong to a foreign country."

Those who selected the second concern pointed out that land acquisition is more than a simple real estate transaction. They raised alarms about land being used as a staging ground during political tensions or as a hub for information extraction, with many criticizing the leniency of current laws and demanding more transparent regulations. A woman in her 40s stated, "The inability for Japanese people to control Japanese land is a problem that must be urgently avoided."

Respondents who chose the third concern, "risk of attack on defense locations," expressed direct alarm about the acquisition of land adjacent to Self-Defense Forces bases and remote border islands. A woman in her 50s commented, "What I've been concerned about from TV news is the buying up of land around defense facilities by foreigners. It seems to make espionage incredibly easy," showing a strong sense of警戒 against threats to national existence.