Latest news with #KeisukeHonda
New Straits Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Red Giants battle Asia Warriors to stalemate
PETALING JAYA: Selangor drew 0-0 against the Asia Warriors, led by Japanese legend, Keisuke Honda, in a friendly match at MBPJ Stadium today. The match also served as the unveiling of Selangor's 2025-2026 M-League squad. Among the fresh faces in the Red Giants' lineup were Willian Lira, Moses Raj, Picha Autra, Chrigor Moraes and Zach Clough. In the ninth minute, Selangor captain Faisal Halim nearly created a goal with a pinpoint cross to Lira who forced a save from Asia Warriors' veteran goalkeeper Made Wirawan. The 44-year-old Wirawan suffered a knee injury in the 12th minute, and was replaced by Yoo Jaehoon. Selangor's best chance came in the 55th minute when Sharul Nazeem Zulpakar, who replaced Harith Haiqal Adam Afkar at halftime, spun and unleashed a low shot, only to be denied by Yoo. Asia Warriors suffered another blow late in the game when Daisuke Sato was stretchered off in the 78th minute.
New Straits Times
15-07-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Honda and his Asian legends to take on Selangor
KUALA LUMPUR: The Asia Warriors, a team helmed by Japanese football legend and former AC Milan star Keisuke Honda, will play Selangor in a friendly match at MBPJ Stadium on July 27. For Selangor, the match against Honda's team, made up of some of Asia's finest former internationals, will be part of their preparation for the new M-League season. Among the notable names in the Asia Warriors line-up will be Indra Putra Mahayuddin, Razman Roslan and Baihakki Khaizan. Razman said: "Selangor are no pushovers, they are formidable with their new imports and local stars. "They call us legends, and I accept that with pride, but it's a title that comes with responsibility. We must show the next generation how we carry ourselves." Midfielder Honda said the match against Selangor will be physically demanding, but he won't be holding back. "I want to win, and I want to show my seriousness. I won't enjoy it without victory," he said. Ahead of the Malaysia stop. the Asia Warriors will play a match against Persik Kediri in Indonesia, where they will also held football clinics and community events. Their tour, themed Unity Beyond Borders, will also see Honda and company having a Social Night event on July 25 and a youth clinic at Selangor's training ground on July 26.
Time of India
27-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
It's too easy for foreigners to buy property in Japan
A cottage industry has spun up in Japan in the last few years offering abandoned houses, known as akiya, to foreigners. Many countries have stock of underused housing, though Japan is certainly one of the worst offenders. Since the post-pandemic reopening, there's been a surge of interest in akiya among those priced out of their markets at home. Buyer beware: Living in poorly insulated, socially isolated dwellings in the countryside can often be less My Neighbor Totoro and more torturous. But the boom has highlighted how easy it is for those outside to buy property here. Indeed, the lack of restrictions or even disincentives borders on the absurd. And it's becoming a political issue. While abandoned houses in rural areas aren't much of a concern, in Tokyo and other major metropolitan centers where property prices are surging, some are pointing an accusatory finger at international buyers suspected of triggering the rise. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Crossout 2.0: Supercharged Crossout Play Now Undo ALSO READ: Mass destruction for Japan? Tourists cancel plans after a psychic's 'real catastrophe' warning (Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates) In the capital, the average cost of a new apartment has topped ¥100 million ($700,000) for two years running. In the most central areas, the price of a second-hand, 70 square meter (750 square foot) apartment has doubled since before Covid, according to real estate consultancy Tokyo Kantei Co. , a pace of increase practically unheard of in a market once synonymous with flatlining prices. In 2022, I wrote about the affordability of Tokyo property. Just three years later, many are feeling priced out. ALSO READ: Japan fast-tracks global education push; eyes 4,00,000 international students by 2033 Live Events There's a raft of potential culprits. New apartments are in short supply, with many prime plots already redeveloped in advance of the Tokyo Olympics. Inflation is contributing to increasing construction costs, and there's a worker shortage thanks in part to a crackdown on overtime hours. The rise of the 'power couple,' dual-income households of well-paid professionals, is also a factor as more women join the workplace and, in turn, the property market. ALSO READ: Japan tourism hits record high in April as 3.9 million visitors drive 28.5% surge But increasingly, the spotlight is falling on foreign buyers, particularly wealthy Chinese, seeking a safe place for their capital and drawn by Japan's political stability and social safety net. Lawmakers and commentators have been raising the lack of restrictions on property in parliament in recent weeks, as well as in the media. Former international soccer-star-turned-investor Keisuke Honda summed up what many think when he recently tweeted that he thought foreigners should not be allowed to buy land here. One thing that clouds the conversation is the lack of reliable data on transactions. Japan does not keep records of the nationality of buyers. One recent survey of developers by Mitsubishi UFJ Trust & Banking Corp. suggests that 20% to 40% of new apartments in central Tokyo were being purchased by foreigners. Authorities are now, belatedly, beginning their first-ever survey to establish the facts, NHK recently reported. Amazingly, it was only this decade that Japan first began making it harder for foreigners to buy properties even in sensitive areas next to military bases or nuclear plants. Beyond that, it's open season: Buyers don't even have to be resident in the country, there are no additional taxes or stamp duties for foreign purchasers, nor are there extra levies for second or holiday homes. Japan is an outlier in the region. Singapore doubled its stamp duty on foreign buyers to 60% in 2023 as part of a series of disincentives, while Hong Kong only recently removed a similar curb in an effort to breathe life into the property market. Elsewhere, Australia announced a two-year outright ban on foreigners buying some homes, a step Canada last year extended. To be clear, Japan is nowhere near needing to take such radical steps. Indeed, it's ironic that this conversation is happening at all, given the frequent complaints about stagnant property prices. But with the secret now out about Tokyo's international attractiveness as a place to live, it's a good time for lawmakers to get ahead of the conversation — before it fuels further public discontent. In an increasingly globalized and unequal world, residents — whether Japanese or foreign — should surely be given priority above speculative buyers looking for a rarely used second home. If nothing else, a government that needs to boost its coffers should be maximizing its tax revenues. Given the shortage of supply, it should also discourage owners from holding properties that are rarely occupied, at least in Tokyo's central areas. And it's not unreasonable for Japanese to be upset about the ease with which Chinese investors can buy in Japan, when the reverse transaction isn't even possible. Japan's remarkable stability during its economic lean years was in large part due to the availability of basic services such as housing, something many Western economies have failed at, fueling popular discontent. As Tokyo re-emerges, it should take care not to repeat others' mistakes.
