Blackstone Acquires Tokyo Garden Terrace Kioicho for $2.6 Billion

In one of the largest real estate investment by a foreign investor in Japan, the US-based Blackstone, the world’s leading alternative investment firm, on Thursday announced that it will acquire Tokyo Garden Terrace Kioicho, an acclaimed 2.4 million sq. ft. of mixed-use asset, from affiliates of Seibu Holdings.

At $2.6 billion, this is the firm’s largest investment to date across businesses in the market, Blackstone said.

Located in central Tokyo, Tokyo Garden Terrace Kioicho comprises two high-rise towers consisting of a Grade A+ office, which is currently 100% occupied; 135 high-end residential units; a 250-key luxury hotel; conference and wedding venues; and over 30 cafes and restaurants, and goods and services stores.

Chris Heady, Chairman of Asia Pacific and Head of Real Estate Asia, Blackstone, said that this is a landmark opportunity to acquire a trophy Tokyo asset from one of Japan’s most respected corporations, Seibu Holdings.

He added: “Japan is one of our most important markets globally, where we have acquired $16 billion of real estate assets since 2013. This transaction represents our conviction in Japan and the deep partnerships we’ve built with leading Japanese companies like Seibu.”

Daisuke Kitta, Head of Real Estate Japan, Blackstone, said that Japan has entered a new era of corporates seeking to partner with trusted groups like Blackstone to divest their assets for further growth.

“We are committed to mobilising our strong local teams with insights and relationships, and our global real estate platform, to continue to support this asset for long-term success,” Kitta added.

Ryuichiro Nishiyama, President and Representative Director, COO, Seibu Holdings, said that “Blackstone has provided a proposal that will contribute to further growth and development of the asset, and a valuation that reflects its strength.

In the future, the Seibu Group companies will continue to be involved in the management of the asset, which includes undertaking the asset management business and hotel management business, and will provide even more attractive new value in Kioicho based on a long-term and strong partnership with Blackstone, Nishiyama said.

Leading Investor

Blackstone is a leading investor in Japan and has built a diversified real estate portfolio in Japan across its global high conviction investment themes including hotels, rental housing, logistics, and data centres.

For more than 17 years, Blackstone has been a trusted partner to Japanese companies looking to divest their businesses and assets for continued growth. Its notable carve-outs include the acquisition of an eight-hotel portfolio from Kintetsu Group and a logistics portfolio from Daiwa House; in private equity, investments in Sony Payment Services with Sony Group, the consumer healthcare unit (renamed Alinamin Pharmaceutical) from Takeda Pharmaceutical, and Infocom from Teijin.