If you take the UK as an example, non-UK domiciled ("non-doms") persons buy houses and pay less tax than residents. It's one of the reasons for the continuing boom in London property prices. I think it's a ****ing disaster, but that's how it is.
I think it's not out of the question for wealthy Taiwanese, Chinese etc. to want to buy a second home in Japan - whether by the sea, or near a ski resort, or onsen ... or, indeed, in Tokyo.