Japan's Real Estate Economic Institute says apartment sales across Japan rose 3 percent during 2004 from the previous year.
The research organization said sales of new apartments rose to 159,639 units. Apartments in the Tokyo area accounted for about 50 percent of the overall market, and demand in Tokyo rose 2.7 percent from a year ago to 85,429 units. Sales were equally strong in southern Japan.
But demand in Hokkaido and other northern areas fell as much as 14 percent from a year ago, the institute reported.
© Copyright 2005 by United Press International
