An influx of construction workers to meet the demands of the tourism boom on the Okinawan resort island of Miyakojima is creating severe apartment shortages, sending rents higher.
Take the rent for studio apartments, which combine the living room, bedroom and kitchen into a single room, using Miyakojima and Naha for comparison.
The rent for a 25- to 30-sq.-meter unit in the redeveloped northern district of Naha usually costs ¥55,000 to ¥60,000 a month, according to Naha-based real estate company Takechan Home.