Tokyo Real Estate News & Information
Tokyo's Property Market & Useful Tips for Property Owners
Stay informed on Tokyo land prices, redevelopment projects, taxes on Japanese real estate, real estate terms, and more. We provide useful news and information especially for foreigners (non-residents) interested in buying, selling, and owning properties in Tokyo.
Buying Japanese Property from Overseas
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…
Read more
What is Real Estate Notary? Real Estate Agent License in Japan
Real estate companies in Japan have staff who with the national qualification called Real Estate Notary / Real Estate Transaction Agent（宅地建物取引士）, more than 1 out of 5 of all employees. Those who are qualified as Real Estate Notary have a broad knowledge of real estate transactions and should, by al…
Read more
Webinar Announcement: How to Get a Housing Loan in Japan
On August 20 (Saturday), 2022 at 11:00 AM, Kenji Kubo of PLAZA HOMES, Ltd. will give a talk on "How to Get a Housing Loan in Japan: Guide for Home Buyers" at an online seminar hosted by Real Estate Japan. Content of the Lecture Interest RateTax Benefits and deductionsHow to buy a home in JapanPrope…
Read more
Earthquake Countermeasures for Buildings in Japan
In earthquake-prone Japan, we have been working on earthquake countermeasures for buildings for many years based on past earthquake experiences. Currently, huge earthquakes such as a Nankai Trough Earthquake and Tokyo Inland Earthquake are predicted throughout Japan. The Japanese Government is prom…
Read more
Capital Gains Tax when Selling Property in Japan
Here we would like to provide some guidance regarding what taxes are involved when selling your real estate property in Japan. When you have income from selling a real estate property–which is called “capital gains”–a national and local (inhabitant) income tax may be imposed on it. These taxation r…
Read more
Land Use Zones under the City Planning Law in Japan
Land Use Zones (用途地域) are areas that are regulated under the City Planning Law (都市計画法) and designates the possible usage of land and properties in that area. This system is to realize an effective placement of buildings in accord with each area environment, avoiding mixed and disorderly land usage…
Read more
Floor-Area Ratio (FAR) and Building Coverage Ratio (BCR) in Japan
Land Use Zones restricts the use of buildings in each categorized zone; it also controls volume and height of buildings by Floor-Area Ratio (FAR) and Building Coverage Ratio (BCR) in each zone.What size and height of the building you can build depends on FAR and BCR of the land property and this al…
Read more
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…
Read more
Lease Guarantor Companies in Japan
In many lease agreements, it is necessary to come up with a joint guarantor or a guarantor company at the time of conclusion of these agreements. A joint guarantor or a guarantor company has the obligation to pay on behalf of the lessee in the unlikely event that the lessee is unable to pay the ren…
Read more
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 prop…
Read more
