Real Estate Guide

These articles contain information about real estate sales and purchases and are for those who are considering buying real estate in Japan. Topics covered include things to be careful of when choosing a property, what Japanese apartments are like, insurance for buildings, and more. We’ve written these articles in an easy-to-understand manner for foreigners who are not familiar with Japanese business practices.

Taxes and Expenses after acquiring Real Estate in Japan

When you purchase real estate in Japan such as your own home or an income-generation property, there are taxes and miscellaneous expenses that you have to pay after your purchase or throughout the period of your ownership. We here provide a guidance on taxes and expenses after your purchasing real…

Web Seminar on Purchasing Real Estate in Japan for Foreigners

Real Estate Japan’s web seminar, “How to Buy a Home in Tokyo as a Foreigner” was held on Saturday, December 19th, 2020. One of our sales staff, Mr. Kubo participated by giving a talk on this session’s theme, “Real Estate Market Trends”. We would like to report that this webinar was a huge success…

Insurance for Flood Disaster (water damage) caused by heavy rain, typhoons, and others

Over the past few years, large-scale flood damages have frequently occurred in various parts of Japan due to typhoons and local heavy rains. Almost every year in some part of Japan there is heavy rainfall the likes of which is only seen once every few decades and due to this heavy rainfall, the ri…

Online Support for Real Estate Purchases by Foreigners not residing in Japan

For foreigners wanting to purchase real estate property in Japan–but do not live in Japan–it can be very difficult to deal with the various procedures required to purchase property within the period of their stay in Japan. Such procedures include the previewing of properties (houses), applying for…

Capital Gains Tax when Selling Property in Japan

This guide explains the taxes involved in selling real estate in Japan. Profits from selling real estate, known as capital gains, are subject to national and local (inhabitant) income tax. Tax rates vary depending on the length of ownership and the property's use. Here is an introduction to the t…

English-speaking Realtors and Real Estate Professionals in Japan

Finding the right real estate agent can make all the difference when navigating the Japanese property market. Whether you're looking to rent, buy, or manage a property, working with a local agent who speaks your language is crucial. In major cities like Tokyo and Yokohama, English-speaking real es…

Foreigner’s Inheritance Measures - 6 Advantages to making a will in Japan

These days, more and more foreigners are becoming owners of real estate property in Japan. If they have Japanese spouses, their spouses may have explained to them how the inheritance system in Japan works. However, as most foreign owners bought their real estate properties in Japan not to use as t…

The Services Provided by Judicial Scriveners in Japan

A judicial scrivener is a legal professional who assists clients with real estate registration procedures, and provides other various services for representing clients during real estate transactions. Keeping a close contact with our everyday life, a judicial scrivener’s role is to protect the pro…

All About Japanese Hanko/Inkan

This article will explain the meaning of "hanko," how to buy and use one. If you are a foreigner who is planning to live in Japan for a while, you will probably have to set up a bank account as well as apply for a phone and public utilities. When signing an application form, you may notice that th…

Opening a Bank Account in Japan

You may find it difficult to open a bank account in Japan if you do not speak Japanese however, an increasing number of banks are now offering English-language services and options to open an account online. Most Japanese banks are open from 9:00am to 3:00pm, Monday to Friday, excluding public h…