How to Buy a House in Japan: Viewing to Closing and After

This article is the main guide in the Zagdim Japan property series on the buying process. It covers every step of buying property in Japan: viewing, offer, the important matters briefing, contract and loan, closing and registration, post-purchase filings, and the documents an overseas buyer needs to prepare. Readers planning to buy in Japan can use it to see the whole process first, then turn to the detailed articles in the series.

Buying a home in Japan generally runs in this order: view properties and appoint a broker, make an offer, hear the important matters briefing, sign the sale and purchase contract and pay the deposit, arrange a loan, close and register the transfer, and finally handle post-purchase filings and ownership matters. From signing the contract to paying the balance and receiving the property, a few weeks to a few months usually pass.

Buyers living overseas need to prepare a few extra registration documents and deal with post-purchase filings.

Four Key Points

• The order is an example. This sequence is an example the government authority gives to buyers. It is not a statutory procedure. The actual process follows what the broker and seller explain.
• The important matters briefing comes before signing. When you buy through a broker or from a real estate business, a licensed real estate transaction specialist (宅地建物取引士) hands over a written document before signing and explains the property and the terms of the deal.
• The 20% cap on the deposit applies only when a real estate business is itself the seller. When you buy from an ordinary private owner, the law sets no cap on the deposit. The amount and the conditions for cancelling follow the contract.
• Foreign buyers living overseas have a few extra tasks. At registration you must provide proof of your overseas address and your name in Roman letters, and from October 5, 2026 you must also declare your nationality. A person who is a non-resident under the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act (外国為替及び外国貿易法) must file a report within 20 days of acquiring the property.

What Are the Steps to Buy Property in Japan, and Who Handles Each One?

Below is the general order. When a broker is appointed under a brokerage contract, the broker generally handles the sale and purchase part at the front of the process. Registration and loan security are treated as “related procedures,” so ask before signing who handles them.

What Should You Decide Before Viewing Properties?

Settle two things first: the purpose of the purchase and how you will pay. The purpose affects whether a tax rate can be reduced, withholding on rent, and whether short-term rental is possible. The payment method decides whether the contract needs a loan clause.

• Living in it yourself. When an individual buys a home to live in and meets conditions such as floor area, the registration tax rate on the transfer can be reduced (see the cost table in the next section). For someone who does not live in Japan and buys for holiday use or to rent out, there is currently no way to use this reduction, and the general rate applies.
• Long-term rental. When the owner is a non-resident under the Income Tax Act, the tenant must withhold 20.42% tax from the rent before paying it. Withholding is not required only when an individual rents the property to live in it personally or with relatives.
• Short-term rental. A home can be operated as a private lodging business (住宅宿泊事業, commonly called minpaku) only if it is used for no more than 180 nights a year and a notification is filed in advance with the prefectural governor or an equivalent authority. Operating as a hotel or inn requires a separate license. Local ordinances can also restrict areas and periods.
• Whatever the purpose. For a non-resident under the Foreign Exchange Act who buys Japanese real estate, a report must be filed after acquisition regardless of purpose from April 1, 2026, including for a home the buyer lives in (see “What Do You Need to Do After the Purchase?”).

When you appoint a broker, you also sign a brokerage contract (媒介契約, a contract asking a broker to introduce properties and bring about a sale), which must be in writing. The government authority’s standard contract comes in three types. A general brokerage contract allows you to appoint several brokers at once. An exclusive right and an exclusive agency contract allow only one broker, with a validity period of up to 3 months.

What Costs Come on Top of the Price?

The main extra items are the brokerage fee, stamp duty, the registration and license tax for registration, the judicial scrivener’s fee (司法書士, a legal professional entrusted with handling registration), real estate acquisition tax, and the fixed asset tax (固定資産税) settlement at closing. Of these, registration and license tax and real estate acquisition tax are in principle calculated on the value recorded in the fixed asset tax ledger (the assessed value), not on the sale price.

The conditions for the 0.3% rate on an own residence include living in it yourself, a floor area of 50 square meters or more, registering within 1 year of acquisition, and attaching a certificate from the municipality (市町村) at registration.

The brokerage fee is a ceiling, and the amount can be agreed when the brokerage contract is signed. For a price above JPY 4 million, the cap for a taxable business operator can be estimated quickly as “price (excluding consumption tax) x 3% + JPY 60,000, plus consumption tax.” This is a shortcut derived from the official tiered rates, not the official wording. For example, at a price of JPY 10 million the cap is JPY 396,000 (tax included).

A special rule applies to properties priced at JPY 8 million or less: the cap a broker that must charge consumption tax (a taxable business operator) can collect from the buyer can be raised to JPY 330,000 (tax included). The broker must explain this when the brokerage contract is signed and obtain your consent.

For how purpose, budget, and loan fit together, see the related Zagdim article “The First Step in Buying in Japan Is Not Placing an Order: Decide Area, Budget, Loan, and Purpose First.”

How Do You Make an Offer on a Property You Like?

You submit a purchase application (申込み) through the broker, stating the price at which you intend to buy. According to industry explanations, this document is generally called a letter of intent to purchase (買付証明書) and states the property, the price, and your intention to buy.

• It is not a contract. The law currently prescribes no format or legal effect for a letter of intent. It is generally understood that when only a letter of intent has been submitted, the sale and purchase contract has not yet been formed.
• But you are not entirely free of responsibility. Withdrawing at a point when negotiations have advanced so far that the other side had reason to believe the deal would close may lead to liability for damages.
• An application money payment can be recovered. If you pay application money when you make the offer, industry interpretation treats it as a deposit held on account (預り金, money a business temporarily holds), which is refunded even if you cancel for your own reasons. The law also prohibits brokers and other businesses from refusing to return a deposit on account they have received when you withdraw the application.

After receiving a purchase application, the broker must report promptly to the client.

What Is the Important Matters Briefing, and When Do You Hear It?

The important matters briefing is a statutory step before signing: a licensed real estate transaction specialist (宅地建物取引士) shows the specialist’s ID card, hands over a document recording the matters set by law, and explains it to you. The specialist is the professional on the broker’s or business’s side who gives the explanation.

• When: Before the sale and purchase contract is formed. The law does not require it to be given a set number of days in advance.
• Who it applies to: It applies when you buy through a broker or from a real estate transaction business (宅地建物取引業者). It does not apply to a direct sale between individuals without a business involved.
• What is explained: At minimum, the registered rights and the registered owner, legal restrictions such as the City Planning Act and the Building Standards Act, burdens relating to private roads, and water, electricity, gas, and drainage facilities. For a condominium, it also covers the bylaws, management fees, and the repair reserve fund (修繕積立金, a long-term repair fund). For a pre-owned property, it also covers whether a building condition inspection (建物状況調査, an inspection of structure, waterproofing, and similar parts by an architect who has completed training) has been carried out. It further covers deposit protection measures, cancellation of the contract, penalty clauses, and what happens if the loan is not approved.
• The list is not exhaustive. The law lists the minimum items, and the authority’s interpretation also notes that other matters may need to be explained depending on the circumstances.
• Can it be done online? With your consent, the statement can be provided electronically and the explanation can be given online. An online explanation must let both sides clearly see the documents and hear the audio, and you must receive the statement in advance. If either side cannot see or hear during the session, the explanation must be paused.

You can still choose a face-to-face explanation. The authority also recommends visiting the property in person whichever method is used.

What Else Should You Check Yourself Beyond the Briefing?

The important matters briefing covers only the minimum items. Some matters you must check yourself or ask the broker to supply documents for. Before signing, confirm the following.

• Title. Anyone can apply for a certified copy of the registry record (登記事項証明書) to see the owner, any attachment, and any mortgage. Section A of the rights part records ownership, and Section B records mortgages and other rights. Unregistered rights such as a lease do not appear in the registry. A blank Section B does not mean the property carries no burdens.
• Condominium management fees and repair reserve funds. The briefing must state the management fee amount and the bylaws and the accumulated balance of the repair reserve fund. Under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s interpretation, any arrears must also be disclosed with the amount. The management association (管理組合, the body formed by condominium owners to manage the building) may claim unpaid management fees and repair reserve contributions from a previous owner against the buyer, so confirm before signing whether any arrears exist.
• Condition of a pre-owned property. The briefing states whether a building condition inspection was done and a summary of its result. Results from within 1 year of the inspection are generally used, or within 2 years for reinforced concrete and similar multi-unit housing. The law currently does not require an individual seller to carry out an inspection. If you want one, discuss it with the seller and the broker, and an inspection arranged by the buyer needs the seller’s consent first. A inspection result does not mean the property has no defects.
• Earthquake resistance and disasters. The new seismic standard has applied since June 1, 1981. The judgment is based on the date of the building confirmation (建築確認), and where no such documents exist it is based on the registration. The briefing must also state where the property sits on the flood hazard map (ハザードマップ). A location outside the expected flood area does not mean there is no flood risk.
• A property with tenants. If you buy a home that is already let, the landlord’s position and the duty to return the security deposit pass to you. Under an ordinary lease, a tenant generally cannot be asked to leave merely because the owner has changed, and recovering the home for your own use requires a legally justified reason. A fixed-term lease (定期借家, 定期建物賃貸借, a lease agreed to end at expiry without renewal) ends at the end of its term, and for terms of 1 year or longer the landlord must give notice between 1 year and 6 months before the term ends.
• Detached houses and land. The site of a building must in principle adjoin a road for at least 2 meters. If it does not, rebuilding in the future may not obtain building confirmation, which the industry calls “unrebuildable” (再建築不可).
• New homes. For a new home that was completed less than 1 year ago and has never been lived in, the seller in principle bears a 10-year warranty for defects in the main structural parts and the waterproofing parts. A new home sold directly by a business must be covered by defect insurance or a deposit.

For how to check each item and what to do if a problem turns up, see the related Zagdim article “Due Diligence Before Buying in Japan: Title, Management Fees, Repairs, and Lease Status.”

How Much Deposit Do You Pay at Signing, and Can You Back Out?

It depends on who the seller is. When you buy from an ordinary private owner, the law currently sets no cap on the deposit, and the amount and the conditions for cancelling follow the contract. When you buy from a real estate transaction business itself, for example a new condominium sold directly by the developer, the law gives the buyer several additional protections.

The deposit (手付金) is money handed to the seller at signing. The basic rule of the Civil Code is that, before the other side has begun to perform the contract, the buyer can cancel by forfeiting the deposit and the seller can cancel by paying back twice the deposit. Once the other side has begun performing, cancellation in this way is no longer possible.

Cooling-off has two exceptions. It does not apply where you yourself asked to hear the explanation at your home or workplace, since that place is also treated as the business’s office or similar place. It also cannot be used once the property has been handed over and the full price paid. Whether the business is itself the seller is determined by the seller named in the important matters statement.

After signing, the broker or business must hand over the written contract stating the price and payment dates, the handover date, the timing of the application for transfer registration, and similar matters. With your consent it can also be provided electronically. A paper contract in principle bears stamp duty, and the authority’s consumer guidance also notes that electronic contracts are not subject to stamp duty.

**Example: The same deposit, but different rules for two kinds of seller**

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A buyer living overseas looks at two apartments in Tokyo. Apartment A is a new unit sold off-plan by a developer and not yet completed. Apartment B is a pre-owned unit sold by an ordinary owner through a broker.

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• Buying A: The deposit may not exceed 20% of the price. When the deposit exceeds 5% of the price or JPY 10 million, the developer must arrange protection measures before collecting it. If the buyer made the application somewhere other than the developer’s office, and did not ask to hear the explanation at that place, the buyer can still withdraw in writing within 8 days of receiving written notice. – Buying B: The law sets no cap on the deposit and there is no cooling-off period. The deposit amount and the last day on which the buyer can cancel by forfeiting it are written in the contract.

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What the buyer needs to do: first confirm who the seller is on the important matters statement, then check the contract’s deposit, cancellation, and penalty clauses.

For details from application through the briefing to signing, see the related Zagdim article “The Japan Purchase Contract Process: Application, Important Matters Briefing, Sale and Purchase Contract, and Deposit.”

Can Foreigners Get a Mortgage in Japan, and What Extra Steps Come With a Loan?

It depends on the lender.

• Flat 35. The Japan Housing Finance Agency’s Flat 35 (【フラット35】) accepts applications only from Japanese nationals, permanent residents, and special permanent residents, and only for a home occupied by the borrower or relatives, not for investment uses such as renting out.
• Private banks. There is currently no official uniform standard for mortgage terms that private banks apply to foreigners and non-residents, so you must confirm bank by bank. For the conditions each bank publishes itself, see the related Zagdim article “Can Foreigners Get a Mortgage in Japan? Permanent Residents, Work Visas, and Non-Resident Buyers Compared.”
• Loan clause (ローン特約). According to industry explanations, if the loan is refused in whole or in part, the contract can be cancelled and the deposit paid is returned. The clause should state the financial institution applied to, the loan amount, the approval deadline, and what happens if approval is refused. The law does not require every contract to include such a clause, but when a broker arranges the loan, the important matters briefing must explain what happens if the loan is not formed.
• Mortgage registration. This is handled together at closing. The registration and license tax is 0.4% of the loan amount, or 0.1% for an individual’s own residence that meets the conditions. When registering a mortgage, a seal registration certificate (印鑑証明書) or a substitute document is generally needed (see “What Documents Does a Buyer Living Overseas Need to Prepare?”).

What Happens on Closing Day, and How Is Transfer Registration Completed?

On closing day (決済), you pay the balance, the seller hands over the property (引渡し), and registration of the ownership transfer is applied for. The judicial scrivener who attends confirms that the documents are complete before payment is made.

• Order on the day. The judicial scrivener first confirms the documents and information needed to transfer ownership, cancel the old mortgage, and so on, and only then is the balance paid. If documents are incomplete or information cannot be confirmed, closing is postponed.
• What the judicial scrivener does. According to the judicial scriveners’ association, the scrivener confirms identity, intention, and the subject property on site, and files in order the cancellation of the old mortgage, the ownership transfer, and the new mortgage together. The law does not make it compulsory to appoint a judicial scrivener, and the buyer may apply personally.
• Why registration matters. Without completed registration, you cannot assert ownership against third parties, although the contract remains valid between you and the seller. The law currently sets no deadline for applying for transfer registration after a sale, but the own-residence tax reduction requires registration within 1 year of acquisition.
• Who applies. Registration is applied for jointly by the buyer and the seller. The seller must provide the seller’s own registration identification information (登記識別情報, a set of symbols the registered holder later uses to confirm identity when applying for registration), and for a paper application the seller must attach a seal registration certificate issued within the last 3 months.
• After registration. You receive your own registration identification information. You must provide it when you later sell the property, so keep it safe.
• How fixed asset tax is split. Fixed asset tax is paid by the person registered as owner on January 1 each year. When you buy during the year, whether that year’s tax is apportioned by period and how follows the sale and purchase contract.

The judicial scrivener who handles the registration must also confirm your identity, the purpose of the transaction, and your occupation, but does not check assets or income.

A buyer living overseas must provide a few more items at registration, covered in the next section. For the scrivener’s role, registration costs, and closing-day detail, see the related Zagdim article “How Is Japanese Property Transfer Registration Completed? Judicial Scriveners, Registration Costs, and the Closing Process.”

What Documents Does a Buyer Living Overseas Need to Prepare?

They fall into four groups: proof of identity, proof of address, the name and nationality information for registration, and a seal registration certificate or substitute when a loan is used.

• Identity checks are not only for foreigners. Under the Act on Prevention of Transfer of Criminal Proceeds (犯罪による収益の移転防止に関する法律), real estate businesses such as brokers must confirm your name, address, and date of birth, along with the purpose of the transaction and your occupation, in a sale and purchase. Even if you are only visiting Japan for a short time and have no residence there, the business must still confirm your address in your home or residence country.
• Ask first about address proof. The Ministry of Justice’s explanation does not list which specific document will be accepted for registration, so confirm with the judicial scrivener in advance.
• Seals. Generally, a buyer who simply acquires ownership submits a certificate of residence. If a mortgage is also registered on the property, a seal registration certificate or substitute document is generally needed. Confirm with the judicial scrivener before signing which documents must be prepared. A person who lives overseas and has no Japanese resident record (住民票) generally cannot register a seal in Japan, and the substitute procedure may differ depending on nationality, so prepare as the judicial scrivener instructs.
• Proof of funds. The law requires confirmation of assets and income only for high-risk transactions (for example, customers residing in or located in Iran or North Korea, or foreign politically exposed persons) where the transfer of property exceeds JPY 2 million. It is not required of every buyer. Documents that a business or bank requests separately follow their own rules.
• Remittance. A buyer who lives overseas and is a non-resident under the Foreign Exchange Act does not need to file a payment report for the remittance itself. A buyer who is a resident under the Foreign Exchange Act and remits the purchase funds into Japan from overseas must file a report afterward when a single remittance exceeds the equivalent of JPY 30 million.

**Example: Living overseas, buying with cash to rent out**

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A buyer living overseas has no Japanese resident record and plans to buy a pre-owned condominium in Osaka for cash and rent it out. Assume the buyer is a non-resident under both the Foreign Exchange Act and the Income Tax Act, and the passport does not show an address.

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• At signing: The broker must confirm identity, the purpose of the transaction, and occupation. Because the passport shows no address, the buyer must separately provide a document proving the current address. – At registration: The buyer must prepare a certificate of residence issued by the government of the home or residence country, or an affidavit certified by a notary plus a passport copy. Which document from the buyer’s own country can be used should be asked of the judicial scrivener first. The buyer must also provide proof of the Roman-letter name, the details of a contact person in Japan or a declaration of “none,” and from October 5, 2026 a nationality declaration. With no mortgage being registered, the buyer generally submits the certificate of residence. – Tax rate: The buyer will not live in the property, so the registration and license tax on the transfer is calculated at the general rate. – Within 20 days of acquisition: File the Foreign Exchange Act acquisition report. – After renting out: When the tenant is a company, the company must withhold 20.42% from the rent before paying it. When the tenant is an individual renting to live in it, no withholding is required.

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What the buyer needs to do: before signing, confirm with the broker and the judicial scrivener who prepares each document and who files the Foreign Exchange Act report.

For the detail of each document and the alternatives, see the related Zagdim article “What Documents Do Foreigners Need to Buy Japanese Property? Identity, Address, Seal, and Proof of Funds.”

What Do You Need to Do After the Purchase?

For a buyer living overseas, the first matter is the Foreign Exchange Act report. After that, fixed asset tax is paid every year, and a change of registration must be filed when the address or name changes.

Foreign Exchange Act Report: Within 20 Days of Acquisition

If you are a non-resident under the Foreign Exchange Act, after acquiring Japanese real estate you must file a report with the Minister of Finance through the Bank of Japan within 20 days. It is required regardless of the amount or the size of the property.

From April 1, 2026, a report is required regardless of purpose, whether the property is for a home, a holiday, or rental. Only a few real estate related rights are exempt from reporting, and buying real estate itself is not among them. A villa or second home is also not an exempt residential use.

The report form exists only in Japanese. You can file it yourself, or an agent living in Japan (for example, the broker) can file it for you, on paper or online. Failing to report, or making a false report, may be punished by imprisonment of up to 6 months or a fine of up to JPY 500,000.

Whether a person is a non-resident is judged by the person’s living and working situation, not by the name of the visa. A foreigner is in principle presumed to be a non-resident. A person who works at an office in Japan, or who has been in Japan for 6 months since entry, is presumed to be a resident. The Income Tax Act has its own criteria for residents, and the two are not the same.

Which category you fall into depends on where you actually live and where you actually work.

Taxes and Registration

• Real estate acquisition tax. It is levied by the prefecture where the property is located. Taking Tokyo as an example, a declaration must be filed with the metropolitan tax office within 30 days of acquisition, but if registration has been applied for within 30 days, a declaration is in principle not needed.
• Fixed asset tax. It is paid every year by the registered owner as of January 1. An owner who has no residence or similar in the municipality where the property is located must appoint a tax administrator (納税管理人, a person who handles tax matters on the owner’s behalf) and notify the head of the municipality; if the head of the municipality recognizes that collection will not be affected, appointment can be waived.
• When rental income must be reported. A non-resident under the Income Tax Act who needs to file income, pay tax, or receive a refund in Japan must appoint a tax administrator and submit a notification of appointment to the tax office.
• Change of address or name. From April 1, 2026, a change of registration must be made within 2 years after the owner’s address or name changes. Failing to do so without a justifiable reason may result in an administrative fine (過料, a monetary penalty) of up to JPY 50,000. An owner living overseas falls outside the cases the Legal Affairs Bureau handles on its own initiative and must apply personally.

The contact person for registration, the tax administrator for fixed asset tax, and the tax administrator for national tax are three separate systems. Completing one does not mean the other two have been completed.

Seven Things to Confirm Before Signing

1. Whether the seller is an ordinary private owner or a real estate transaction business itself (see the important matters statement).
2. The deposit amount, the deposit cancellation date, and the penalty clause.
3. When a loan is used, whether the contract has a loan clause that states the financial institution, the amount, and the approval deadline.
4. The owner, any attachment, and any mortgage on the certified copy of the registry record.
5. For a condominium, the accumulated balance of management fees and the repair reserve fund, and whether any arrears exist.
6. Whether there is a lease, and whether it is an ordinary lease or a fixed-term lease.
7. Who prepares the address proof, Roman-letter name, contact person in Japan, and nationality information, and who files the Foreign Exchange Act report.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Japan Buying Process

How long does it take from signing to handover for a foreigner buying in Japan?

Usually a few weeks to a few months: the deposit is paid at signing, and the balance is paid and the property handed over later. The important matters briefing only has to be completed before the contract is formed, and the law does not require it a set number of days ahead. The actual timetable follows the handover date and the registration application date written in the contract.

Can the purchase be completed without being in Japan?

Some steps do not need your presence. With your consent, the important matters statement and the contract can be provided electronically and the briefing can be given online; registration can be entrusted to a judicial scrivener; and the Foreign Exchange Act report can be filed by an agent living in Japan. Whether the whole transaction can be done remotely depends on the arrangements of the broker, the judicial scrivener, and the bank, so ask clearly before signing. The authority also recommends visiting the property in person.

If I buy a property with a tenant, can I take it back to live in right away?

In principle, a tenant cannot be asked to leave merely because the owner has changed. You take over the landlord’s position, including the duty to return the security deposit. Recovering the property under an ordinary lease requires a legally justified reason, and relocation compensation (立退料) is only one factor to weigh. A fixed-term lease ends at the end of its term, and for terms of 1 year or longer the landlord must give notice between 1 year and 6 months before the term ends.

Do I need to file a change of registration if an owner living overseas moves house?

Yes. From April 1, 2026, a change of registration must be applied for personally within 2 years after the owner’s address or name changes, and an owner living overseas is not covered by the approach in which the Legal Affairs Bureau acts on its own initiative. For changes made before the rule took effect, the deadline is March 31, 2028. Failing to do so without a justifiable reason may result in an administrative fine of up to JPY 50,000.

Glossary of Japanese Property Terms

• Brokerage contract (媒介契約): A contract asking a broker to introduce properties and bring about a sale. It must be in writing.
• Real estate transaction business (宅地建物取引業者): A business that buys, sells, or brokers real estate. In this article, “the business is itself the seller” means that this business is the seller.
• Purchase application (申込み) / letter of intent to purchase (買付証明書): The offer and document stating the price at which you intend to buy. It is not a sale and purchase contract.
• Deposit on account (預り金): Money a business temporarily holds. The business may not refuse to return it when you withdraw the application.
• Important matters briefing (重要事項説明): The statutory step before signing in which a licensed real estate transaction specialist hands over a document and explains it.
• Licensed real estate transaction specialist (宅地建物取引士): The professional who gives the important matters briefing and must show the ID card when doing so.
• Sale and purchase contract (売買契約): The contract in which buyer and seller agree on the price, the handover date, the registration date, and similar matters.
• Deposit (手付金): Money handed to the seller at signing, which can be used to cancel before the other side begins performing.
• Closing (決済): The step in which the buyer pays the balance.
• Handover (引渡し): The seller delivers the property, and registration of the ownership transfer is applied for on the buyer’s behalf.
• Judicial scrivener (司法書士): A legal professional entrusted with handling registration.
• Registration identification information (登記識別情報): A set of symbols the registered holder later uses to confirm identity when applying for registration.
• Certified copy of the registry record (登記事項証明書): A document certifying the contents of the registry record. Anyone can apply for one.
• Registration and license tax (登録免許税): A tax paid when registration is made.
• Real estate acquisition tax (不動産取得税): A tax levied by the prefecture after a property is acquired.
• Fixed asset tax (固定資産税): An annual holding tax paid by the registered owner as of January 1.
• Management association (管理組合): The body formed by condominium owners to manage the building.
• Repair reserve fund (修繕積立金): A long-term repair fund accumulated for future repairs.
• Building condition inspection (建物状況調査): An inspection by a trained architect of the structure, waterproofing, and similar parts of a pre-owned home. The result does not mean there are no defects.
• Fixed-term lease (定期借家, 定期建物賃貸借): A lease agreed to end at expiry without renewal.
• Tax administrator (納税管理人): A person who handles tax matters on behalf of an owner who is not present locally.
• Administrative fine (過料): A type of monetary penalty.

Notes on Sources and Data

• The information was checked as of September 30, 2026. It is based on current Japanese laws and regulations, explanatory documents from the competent authorities and local governments, and explanations from some professional bodies.
• The following conclusions are drawn from official documents but are not stated directly by the authorities: a letter of intent to purchase has no statutory format or effect (based on the full text of the Real Estate Transaction Business Act and its enforcement order and enforcement regulations); there is no statutory cap on the deposit when an ordinary private owner sells (Article 39 regulates only cases where a business is itself the seller); there is no statutory deadline to apply for transfer registration after a sale (based on the application duty and administrative fine provisions of the Real Estate Registration Act); there is currently no way for a non-occupying overseas buyer to use the residential-house tax rate reduction (based on the Special Measures Act and the certificate requirements of Meguro Ward, Tokyo); the apportionment of fixed asset tax is agreed between the parties (explanations by Kobe City and Tokyo Metropolis); a foreigner visiting only briefly must still have an address confirmed when buying (a comparison of the Act on Prevention of Transfer of Criminal Proceeds, its enforcement regulations, and its enforcement order); a person without a resident record generally cannot register a seal (explanations by Minato Ward and Yokohama City); whether the buyer needs a seal registration certificate (a cross-reading of the Real Estate Registration Rules); there is no official uniform standard for private bank mortgages (only the Flat 35 conditions of the Japan Housing Finance Agency were found, and individual banks were not examined); an ordinary lease cannot be ended merely because the owner changes (a combination of Article 605-2 of the Civil Code and Article 28 of the Act on Land and Building Leases); and an individual seller has no duty to carry out a building condition inspection (Article 35 of the Real Estate Transaction Business Act, its enforcement regulations, and the Ministry’s inspection guide). The “3% + JPY 60,000” brokerage fee figure is a shortcut derived from the tiered rates in the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s fee notice.
• The following come from professional bodies or industry explanations and are not statutory text: the nature of application money and letters of intent (lawyer explanations published by the Real Estate Transaction Promotion Center and the All Japan Real Estate Association); the deposit cancellation date and the loan clause (the Real Estate Transaction Promotion Center); the judicial scrivener’s role at closing and fees (the Japan Federation of Shiho-Shoshi Lawyers’ Associations); and the signature certification practice for foreigners (the Real Estate Distribution Promotion Center, 2015). “Unrebuildable” is an industry term. The closing process is taken from Tokyo Metropolis’s 2021 consumer guidance, the residential house certificate requirements use Meguro Ward as the example, and seal registration uses Minato Ward and Yokohama City as examples; rules in other places may differ.
• The nationality declaration at registration takes effect on October 5, 2026. The reduction measures for stamp duty, the registration and license tax on residential houses and mortgages, and real estate acquisition tax run until March 31, 2027, and the reduction for the registration and license tax on land runs until March 31, 2029. Whether they are extended afterward depends on tax reform at that time. Amounts such as the fee for a certified copy of the registry record are as of the check date and may be adjusted later.

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Sources

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• e-Gov Laws: 住宅の品質確保の促進等に関する法律（平成11年法律第81号）
• e-Gov Laws: 特定住宅瑕疵担保責任の履行の確保等に関する法律（平成19年法律第66号）

Disclaimer

This article is general information and does not constitute individual legal, tax, financial, or real estate transaction advice. Information was checked as of September 30, 2026. Rules may change, so rely on the current notices of the Japanese authorities, and consult a qualified professional where needed.