This article is part of the Zagdim Japan property series on rules for foreign buyers. It answers a question that comes up often: can buying property in Japan get you a visa or a right to live there long term? For the overall rules of the series, see the main article “What Foreigners Need to Understand Before Buying Property in Japan”.
Buying property in Japan does not give you residence status. As of September 2026, Japan has no status of residence (在留資格, the legal status that governs a foreigner’s stay and activities in Japan) granted because of property ownership, and “owning property” is not among the requirements for permanent residence. Residence, reporting to the government and paying tax are three separate matters, each with its own test.
Can You Get a Visa or Long-Term Residence by Buying Property?
No. Japan’s current statuses of residence depend either on the activity you carry out in Japan (for example study or running a business) or on your family or personal status (for example being the spouse of a Japanese national). None of them is based on owning real estate.
If you want to live in Japan long term, you must apply separately for a suitable status of residence.
How Long Can You Stay Without Another Status?
If you enter as a temporary visitor (短期滞在), the period of stay is 90 days, 30 days or 15 days. This status applies to short stays such as tourism, visiting relatives and business contacts. Where the Minister of Justice designates a period of up to 90 days for an individual foreigner, the designated period applies.
Property owners have no status of their own. An owner who has no other status and enters as a temporary visitor is subject to the same set of periods.
Can You Apply for Business Manager Status by Setting Up a Company to Buy and Rent Out Property?
It depends on whether you meet the criteria below; buying property is not itself one of the criteria. Business Manager (経営・管理) is the status of residence for people who run or manage a business in Japan. New criteria have applied since October 16, 2025, and there are five main ones:
- Capital of JPY 30 million or more.
- Employment of at least one full-time employee (常勤職員). The employee must be a Japanese national, a special permanent resident, or a permanent resident, long-term resident or similar.
- Japanese language ability at B2 or above on the Common European Framework-based Japanese Language Education Reference Framework, for you or for one full-time employee, for example JLPT N2 or higher.
- You hold a doctorate, master’s or professional degree in a relevant field, or you have at least 3 years of experience running or managing a business.
- The business plan must be confirmed by a professional. When the new criteria came into force, the designated professionals were small and medium enterprise management consultants (中小企業診断士), certified public accountants and licensed tax accountants (税理士).
In addition, if you outsource operations to the point that your own active management is not visible, you will not be found to qualify. Using a home as the office is in principle not accepted. Staying abroad for a long period without a justifiable reason during the period of stay will lead to a refusal at renewal.
Whether a property rental business meets these requirements depends on the current requirements of the Immigration Services Agency of Japan (出入国在留管理庁, “the Agency” below), and individual cases are examined by the Agency.
Does Owning Property Count When Applying for Permanent Residence?
It is not among the requirements. As of September 2026, the legal requirements for permission for permanent residence are three: good conduct, sufficient assets or skills to make an independent living, and that permanent residence is in the interest of Japan.
For the third requirement, the applicant must in principle have lived in Japan continuously for 10 years or more, of which at least 5 years must be under a work status or a residence-based status. Technical intern training and Specified Skilled Worker (i) years do not count. The applicant must also pay taxes and public pension and public health insurance contributions as required.
Special rules on the number of years apply to spouses of Japanese nationals or permanent residents, highly skilled professionals and similar categories.
Do You Have to Report to the Japanese Government After Buying?
Buyers who live overseas must report. Under the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act (外国為替及び外国貿易法, “the FEFTA”, the Japanese law governing foreign exchange and external transactions), a non-resident (非居住者) who acquires real estate in Japan must submit a report to the Minister of Finance through the Bank of Japan within 20 days.
- Who counts as a non-resident: The test is place of residence, not nationality. A foreigner is in principle presumed to be a non-resident. A person working at an office in Japan, or who has been in Japan for 6 months or more since arrival, is presumed to be a resident. Diplomats and similar persons are treated as exceptions.
- Owner-occupied homes are reported too: For real estate acquired on or after April 1, 2026, the report is required regardless of purpose, price or area. The only exemptions are for acquiring three kinds of “rights related to real estate” (for example a leasehold). Buying the property itself is not among them.
- Who files: You, or an agent who lives in Japan, such as a real estate broker. The report must be filled in in Japanese, so ask before signing who is responsible.
- What happens if you do not report: Failing to report, or filing a false report, is punishable by imprisonment without work (拘禁刑) of up to 6 months or a fine of up to JPY 500,000. Even after the deadline has passed, the report must still be filed.
How Does Japanese Tax Reach You if You Live Overseas?
The tax law’s definition of “resident” differs from the one in the FEFTA. An individual who has a domicile in Japan (the center of life), or who has had a residence (the place where one actually lives) in Japan continuously for one year or more up to now, is a resident. All other individuals are non-residents. Tax treaties may provide a different test.
Residents are in principle taxed on income from both inside and outside Japan. Non-residents are taxed only on Japan-source income (国内源泉所得), which includes income from renting out or selling real estate in Japan. Where a tax treaty provides otherwise, the treaty applies.
Two of these taxes are withheld in advance by the payer at the time of payment, which is called withholding at source (源泉徴収):
| If you are a non-resident and you | Who must withhold | Rate | When no withholding is needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent out a home in Japan | The tenant who pays the rent in Japan, whether a company or an individual | 20.42% | An individual rents it for their own or a relative’s residence |
| Sell a home or land in Japan | The buyer who pays the price in Japan, whether a company or an individual | 10.21% | An individual buys it for their own or a relative’s residence, and the price is JPY 100 million or less |
Conversely, when you rent or buy property from a non-resident, you are the person who must withhold, except in the cases in the table where withholding is not needed. The rates follow the law in force on April 1, 2026; from 2027 the names of the taxes change but the combined rate does not. The tax calculation follows the current rules of the National Tax Agency (国税庁).
How Do the Three Statuses Apply to Your Situation?
Residence is determined by status of residence, the acquisition report by the FEFTA, and tax by the Income Tax Act. Holding a status of residence does not mean you are a resident under the other two. For registration, the tax administrator and holding taxes, see the main article “What Foreigners Need to Understand Before Buying Property in Japan”.
FAQ: Buying Property in Japan and Your Status
What happens if I already hold Business Manager status and do not meet the new criteria?
Until October 16, 2028, a renewal application will not be refused solely because the applicant does not meet the new criteria. Renewal applications filed after that date must meet the new criteria. An applicant who still does not meet them at that point may be judged by the Agency together with other aspects of their stay if the business is in good condition, corporate tax and similar taxes are paid as required, and the criteria are expected to be met before the next renewal. Results are decided case by case.
Can I switch from Business Manager to permanent residence if I do not meet the new criteria?
No. Once the new criteria are in force, an application to change from Business Manager or similar status to permanent residence is not approved for a person who does not meet them.
Notes on Sources
The information was checked on September 29, 2026, against official Japanese web pages and documents. Two conclusions below were drawn from official documents and are not stated directly by the authorities. The first is that “there is no status of residence based on owning property”, based on the statuses listed in the Agency’s table of statuses of residence. The second is that “permanent residence requirements do not look at property”, based on the wording of the requirements in item 1 of the Guidelines on Permission for Permanent Residence (永住許可に関するガイドライン, revised February 24, 2026). The guidelines do not say whether “assets” in the requirements may include real estate in the evaluation, so this article makes no judgment on whether property affects permanent residence screening in any other way.
The statements that “an owner with no other status who enters as a temporary visitor is subject to the same periods” and that “buying property is not itself within the Business Manager criteria” are likewise drawn from the table of statuses and the criteria listed there. For the FEFTA test of residence, the article cites the interpretive notice excerpted in the Ministry of Finance Q&A; the full text of the notice was not obtained separately.
Whether a real estate rental business can meet Business Manager requirements, the number of visa-free days by country, and the calculation of tax after withholding are outside the scope of this check. The permanent residence criteria may change later, so rely on the Agency’s current announcements.
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Sources
- 出入国在留管理庁－在留資格一覧表: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/status/qaq5.html
- 出入国在留管理庁－在留資格「短期滞在」: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/status/temporaryvisitor.html
- 出入国在留管理庁－在留資格「経営・管理」に係る上陸基準省令等の改正について: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/resources/10_00237.html
- 出入国在留管理庁－永住許可に関するガイドライン: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/resources/nyukan_nyukan50.html
- 財務省－リーフレット 外為法に基づく「本邦にある不動産又はこれに関する権利の取得に関する報告書」の提出: https://www.mof.go.jp/policy/international_policy/gaitame_kawase/real_property/real_property_leafletJ.pdf
- 財務省－外為法に基づく不動産取得報告 よくあるご質問（FAQ）: https://www.mof.go.jp/policy/international_policy/gaitame_kawase/real_property/FAQ_J.pdf
- 国税庁タックスアンサー－No.2875 居住者と非居住者の区分: https://www.nta.go.jp/taxes/shiraberu/taxanswer/gensen/2875.htm
- 国税庁タックスアンサー－No.2878 国内源泉所得の範囲: https://www.nta.go.jp/taxes/shiraberu/taxanswer/gensen/2878.htm
- 国税庁タックスアンサー－No.2879 非居住者等から土地等を購入したとき: https://www.nta.go.jp/taxes/shiraberu/taxanswer/gensen/2879.htm
- 国税庁タックスアンサー－No.2880 非居住者等に不動産の賃借料を支払ったとき: https://www.nta.go.jp/taxes/shiraberu/taxanswer/gensen/2880.htm
Important Notice
This article is a general information summary and does not constitute individual legal, tax or immigration advice. The information was checked on September 29, 2026. Whether a status of residence is granted is decided case by case by the Agency, so rely on the current announcements of the competent Japanese authorities.
