This article is part of the “Rules for Foreign Buyers” series within Zagdim’s Japan property guides. It answers a common question: what types of property can a foreigner buy in Japan? The series’ overall rules are set out in the main article on what to understand before a foreigner buys property in Japan.
Foreigners can buy land, condominiums, detached houses, shops and offices. Japan currently has no “list of property foreigners may buy”; every type of property follows the same rules regardless of nationality. What you need to confirm is something else: whether the land is farmland or forest, which kind of right you hold over the land, and the location and floor or site area of the property.
What Property Can Foreigners Buy in Japan?
All four types can be bought, with the same rights as Japanese buyers. Japan currently does not distinguish between foreigners and Japanese nationals in real estate transactions. The one clear exception is agricultural land, where a permit is needed before buying or selling.
“Can buy” does not mean “no procedures”. Registration, notification and reporting duties still apply. In addition, the government is studying changes to land acquisition rules from a national security perspective. Based on government documents published up to July 24, 2026, this is still under review.
| Type | What else to confirm |
|---|---|
| Land | Whether it is farmland or forest; location and area |
| Detached house | Whether the land is owned or leasehold; location and area |
| Condominium | The area and location of your own unit |
| Shop, office, warehouse | Requirements on use and operation (not checked in this article) |
Can You Buy Land Only?
Yes, but first confirm whether the plot is farmland or forest. Each of these two land types has its own procedure.
Farmland needs a permit first. Buying farmland for farming requires permission from the local Agricultural Committee (農業委員会, nogyo iinkai), and a transaction made without it is void. There are cases that need no permit. The permit applies regardless of nationality and is given only to people who can use the farmland efficiently, so a foreigner who lives overseas will generally find it very hard to obtain farmland.
Forest is notified after acquisition. A person who becomes the owner of forest land must notify the head of the municipality within 90 days, whether an individual or a corporation, and however small the area. The rule applies to forest covered by a regional forest plan (地域森林計画, chiiki shinrin keikaku). Someone who has already notified a land sale contract under the National Land Use Planning Act does not need to notify again. Since April 2026, the notification form must state the owner’s nationality.
This is an after-the-fact notification, not a permit. Even if the land category in the registry is not forest, land that is in fact forest will probably need to be notified.
If You Buy a Detached House, Is the Land Yours Too?
Not necessarily. It depends on whether the right over the land is ownership or leasehold (借地権, shakuchiken). With ownership, the land is yours, and the law currently sets no term for ownership. With leasehold, the house is yours but the land is rented from a landowner, and there is a term.
The term of a leasehold is 30 years, and a longer term agreed in the contract prevails. There is also a fixed-term leasehold (定期借地権, teiki shakuchiken) with a term of 50 years or more, under which the contract may provide that it will not be renewed at expiry, that building a house will not extend it, and that the tenant cannot demand that the landowner buy the house. These provisions must be made in writing, such as a notarized document. Leasehold also has other types with different term rules, so the actual remaining term depends on the individual contract.
Are the Rules the Same for Condos, Shops and Offices?
Yes. The Act on Building Unit Ownership (建物の区分所有等に関する法律, tatemono no kubun shoyu to ni kansuru horitsu) provides that parts of a single building that are structurally separate and can be used independently can each be an object of ownership. The statute lists residences, shops, offices and warehouses side by side, and does not distinguish by nationality.
Requirements on use and operation were not checked for this article, so confirm them with the competent authority for each property.
When Must You Notify Before Signing?
When the property or land is in a Special Watch Area (特別注視区域, tokubetsu chushi kuiki) and its area is 200 square meters or more, both buyer and seller must notify before signing the contract. This is a rule of the Act on the Survey and Regulation of the Use of Important Land (重要土地等調査法, juyo tochi to chosaho), which covers land and buildings around important facilities such as defense installations and on remote border islands. It is a notification, not a permit, and there are cases that need no notification.
Area is calculated as follows:
- Land: each parcel is counted separately.
- Buildings: each building is counted separately, ancillary buildings are included, and the floor areas of all stories are added together.
- Condominiums: calculated from the floor area of your own exclusive-use portion (専有部分, senyu bubun).
The similarly named Watch Area (注視区域, chushi kuiki) does not require notification. Before signing, ask the agent to confirm whether the property is inside a Special Watch Area.
Do You Have to Report to the Government After Buying?
People who live outside Japan do. Under the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act (外国為替及び外国貿易法, gaitame-ho), a non-resident who acquires real estate in Japan must submit a report to the Minister of Finance through the Bank of Japan within 20 days of acquisition, whatever the price or area. Whether you are a non-resident depends on where you live, not on your nationality.
If the acquisition date is on or after April 1, 2026, a non-resident must report even when buying for their own residence. Only when acquiring a “right related to real estate”, such as a leasehold, are there three cases exempt from reporting: use as a residence by the person, relatives or employees; use for non-profit activities; and use as the person’s own office. Vacation homes and second homes do not count as residential use.
The report must be written in Japanese. You can file it yourself, or an agent who is a resident, such as a real estate agency, can file it for you. Before signing, ask who is responsible for this step.
Four Questions to Ask When Viewing a Property
- Is the land owned or leasehold? If it is leasehold, how many years remain, and is there a no-renewal clause?
- Is the land category and current use farmland or forest?
- Is the property inside a Special Watch Area? What is its area?
- Do you live outside Japan? Are you buying the real estate itself, or a leasehold?
If the other side only says “foreigners can buy anything” but cannot answer these four questions, pause and clarify. For the registration requirements, reporting details and status of residence that follow once you are an owner, see the main article in the series on what to understand before a foreigner buys property in Japan.
FAQ: Property Types in Japan
Can foreigners buy only land in Japan?
Yes. Farmland needs the Agricultural Committee’s permit first, forest must be notified within 90 days after acquisition, and land of 200 square meters or more in a Special Watch Area must be notified before signing the contract. Each has its own exceptions.
Can foreigners buy commercial property in Japan, such as shops or offices?
Yes. Shops, offices and warehouses, like residences, can each be an object of ownership, and the statute does not distinguish by nationality. Requirements on use and operation were not checked for this article, so confirm them separately for each property.
How do you read the term when a detached house comes with a leasehold?
The term of a leasehold is 30 years, and a longer term agreed in the contract prevails. One type, the fixed-term leasehold, has a term of 50 years or more and can be agreed not to renew at expiry; other types have different term rules. The actual number of years left depends on the contract for that property.
Notes on the Data
This article’s information was checked on September 29, 2026. Two conclusions below are drawn from official documents; the official documents do not state them in a single sentence. “Ownership has no term” rests on the fact that Article 206 of the Civil Code sets no duration for ownership. “There is no list of property foreigners may buy” rests on the fact that no such list appears in the official documents consulted. “No controls on buying and selling other than for agricultural land” comes from the House of Representatives Research Bureau’s February 2026 summary report; it is a comment quoted in the report, not statutory text. For leasehold, only Articles 2, 3 and 22 of the Act on Land and Building Leases were checked; other types of fixed-term leasehold and leaseholds under the old law were not checked. Whole commercial buildings, restrictions on use and business permits were also not checked. The land acquisition rules from a national security perspective are still under review according to government documents published up to July 24, 2026, and may change later.
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Sources
- e-Gov Law Search, Civil Code (民法, Act No. 89 of 1896): https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/129AC0000000089
- House of Representatives Research Bureau, Land and Transport Research Office, research report 「外国人による不動産取得に関する整理」: https://www.shugiin.go.jp/internet/itdb_rchome.nsf/html/rchome/shiryo/202602_real_estate_acquisition_by_foreign_nationals.pdf/$File/202602_real_estate_acquisition_by_foreign_nationals.pdf
- e-Gov Law Search, Act on Land and Building Leases (借地借家法, Act No. 90 of 1991): https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/403AC0000000090
- e-Gov Law Search, Act on Building Unit Ownership (建物の区分所有等に関する法律, Act No. 69 of 1962): https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/337AC0000000069
- Cabinet Office, 「届出について（重要土地等調査法）」: https://www.cao.go.jp/tochi-chosa/todokede.html
- Cabinet Office, 「重要土地等調査法リーフレット」: https://www.cao.go.jp/tochi-chosa/doc/leaflet.pdf
- Ministry of Finance, leaflet on submitting the report on acquisition of real estate in Japan or related rights under the Foreign Exchange Act: https://www.mof.go.jp/policy/international_policy/gaitame_kawase/real_property/real_property_leafletJ.pdf
- Ministry of Finance, 「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
- Forestry Agency, 「森林の土地の所有者届出制度」: https://www.rinya.maff.go.jp/j/keikaku/todokede/
- Cabinet Secretariat, Study Group on Rules for Land Acquisition by Foreigners (1st meeting), Document 3 「我が国の土地等に関連する制度及び運用状況等について」: https://www.cas.go.jp/jp/seisaku/symbiotic_society/gaikokujin_tochishutoku/kaisai-jokyo/dai1/shiryo3.pdf
- Cabinet Secretariat, 「総合的対応策 進捗等を踏まえた、今後の取組の方向性」: https://www.cas.go.jp/jp/seisaku/symbiotic_society/pdf/sougoutekitaiousaku_torikumi_houkousei_r80724.pdf
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. Rules may be updated, so please rely on the current announcements of the competent Japanese authorities.
