FREA places in Women Entrepreneurs Project Organization Grand Prix

Foreigner-focused Real Estate Agency FREA (Tokyo, Chiyoda Ward) emerged as the winner of the Women Entrepreneurs Project Organization Grand Prix. The award ceremony will be held on July 15, at which time FREA will be awarded a prize sum of 2,000,000 yen.

The competition was comprised of proposals from female entrepreneurs on ideas they were looking to implement in their business. The entries were judged on the excellence of the ideas as well as how realistically they could be implemented. The company FREA currently acts as an intermediary company for foreigners seeking housing in Japan. Pre-furnished housing is scarce in Japan, and occurrences of foreigners being turned away from existing furniture leasing companies are common. It is this unfilled need for furnished properties that prompted FREA to begin offering furniture leasing services.

“We plan to utilize the added support from the Grand Prix to further improve our services” , stated Nana Yamakawa (CEO).

Nana Yamakawa’s commentary:

Recently, I won the Grand Prix hosted by the “Women Entrepreneurs Project Organization.”
http://www.kigyopro.or.jp/
I feel very honored to be able to receive such an award.

Foreign nationals, in comparison to Japanese citizens, often have short-term stays of less than two years. Taking into account various factors such as economical and/or time constraints, it is understandable that many of them seek furnished properties.

However, in Japan when you think of furnished properties, they typically lack the style and originality found in business hotels. Or, some properties may be modern and cool but the rent is incredible expensive.

As we know, it is quite difficult for a foreign national to secure a property lease in Japan, and it is also difficult to harness furniture leasing services for many of the same reasons.

Our company, which acts as an intermediary to rental properties, also offers furniture leasing services, providing affordable yet modern and stylish options for rooms.

The number of foreign nationals arriving in Japan continues to increase. I feel that holding an understanding of the needs of foreigners coupled with knowledge of the current housing property situation is what led me to this current position.