Tokyo Real Estate News & Information

Agent commission for real estate transactions in Japan

In Japan, agent commissions are often paid in real property transactions, but many people may wonder why should they be paid? So, we will explain here what the agent commissions are and how the amounts are determined, etc., for the case of buying, selling, and leasing. What is an agent commission?…

Joint mortgages for married couples

In Japan, the number of households with dual-income couples is increasing, and more and more housing loans are being taken out by married couples. Rather than applying by one spouse alone, combining the income of both spouses can increase the borrowing amount, and depending on how the loan is struc…

Renting a Pet-friendly apartment in Japan

It is common practice that residential properties in Japan have very strict rules regarding the ownership of pets. These rules are decided and enforced by the building owner and or management. If you would like to have a pet in a rental property or already have a pet that you would like to live wit…

What is Japan Earthquake Insurance for Earthquake Preparedness? – About its Necessity and Basic System

Japan is an earthquake-prone country, and there is a history of discussions and studies over a long period of time before the earthquake insurance system was introduced.　In the wake of the 1964 Niigata Earthquake, the government and property & casualty insurance companies researched and drafted…

What is Act on Rental Housing Management Business (Act on Optimization of Rental Housing Management Business)?

Act on Rental Housing Management Business (Act on Optimization of Rental Housing Management Business, etc.) came into effect on June 15, 2021. With the enforcement of this act to optimize the management of rental housing, the former registration system required by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructu…

Ordinary Lease Contract vs. Fixed-term Lease Contract

When renting out a real estate property to a lessee or renting from a lessor, you have the choice using either an “Ordinary Lease Contract” or a “Fixed-term Lease Contract” when making a contract. The “Act on Land and Building Leases” provides guidelines for midterm cancellations and contract renew…

The Jonan Gozan - 5 hilltop brand residential areas in Tokyo

The Jonan Gozan (go= five, zan= mountain) is a term used to define the 5 hilltop areas in the Jonan (Jo= castle, nan= south) district of Tokyo - the area from Meguro Station to Shinagawa Station. The 5 mountains are respectively: Ikedayama, Gotenyama, Shimazuyama, Hanabusayama, and Yatsuyama. Each…

The Amendment of the Civil Code – Regarding the Guarantor of a Lease Contract

The Civil Code has been greatly amended for the first time since its establishment around 120 years ago. Some of the new amendments will start being enforced as early as April 1st of 2020. Among the amendments made at this time, the rules regarding the protection of a guarantor have been reinforced…

Housing Loan FAQ for foreigner’s real estate purchase

We receive many inquiries about getting a housing loan from a Japanese bank at a lower interest rate from foreign customers who are considering purchasing real estate in Japan. We contacted a bank loan representative–who has experience providing foreigners with housing loans–about some of the most…

My Tenant Died In My Property - When Tenants Become Sick or Die

The following article was written by Ziv Nakajima-Magen – Partner & Executive Manager, Asia-Pacific Nippon Tradings International (NTI) When Tenants Become Sick or Die While Japanese tenants, from a landlord perspective, are normally extremely docile and headache free, and while tenancies are g…