Buying or renting real estate in Japan as a foreign national—do any of these worries or concerns sound familiar?

• ・You want to find a rental home first, so you can live in Japan.
• ・You want to buy Japanese real estate as a holiday home or an investment while continuing to live abroad.
• ・You're not even sure whether "a foreign national can buy Japanese real estate" in the first place.
• ・You want to sell a property you own, or rent it out to someone / leave its management to a company.
• ・You feel uneasy about communicating in Japanese, or about the explanation of the contract.
• ・You don't quite understand the documents you'll need, or the flow of money such as overseas remittance.

On this page, we lay out the viewpoints worth keeping in mind when a foreign national or someone living abroad (a non-resident) is thinking about "renting / buying while living in Japan / buying while continuing to live abroad" Japanese real estate, and on that basis we sum up what we at SIMCITY can genuinely help you with and the things we honestly tell you when you consult us. We also welcome consultations about selling, renting out, and management.

*A "non-resident" is someone who has no address or place of residence in Japan. This is a separate idea from nationality: a foreign national who lives in Japan is a "resident," while a Japanese national who lives abroad is a "non-resident."

What we do first when you come to us

Real estate for foreign clients begins with correctly grasping your current situation. First, we check the following together with you.

• ・Checking your residence card and status of residence: we ask whether you live in Japan and what your status of residence is (owning real estate itself does not require a status of residence, but it bears on how you'll live and on your funding plan).
• ・Listening to your wishes: whether you want to buy, sell, rent, or rent out. We carefully hear what you're hoping to do.
• ・Explaining how real estate works in Japan: we explain the flow of a transaction in Japan and how to think about the costs, in a way that's clear even for first-timers.
• ・Checking your funding plan: whether you'll buy in cash or are considering a loan. We sort out together the things needed for the procedures—your work and years of employment, a Japanese bank account, your contact details, and so on.

SIMCITY's way of thinking (the core)——we don't stop at "being able to talk"

We have staff who can assist in English and Chinese. From the initial consultation through negotiations, and on to the important-matters explanation given by a licensed real estate broker (the important explanation before a contract), we can proceed while explaining the content in English and Chinese. Whether you already live in Japan or have not yet come to Japan, we talk things through thoroughly and search for a property that fits your wishes. For those in regions with a time difference, we discuss the timing and do our best to be able to talk even in the evening hours.

That said, what we value is not "being able to talk" in itself, but what lies beyond it. Before the contract, we honestly tell you up front about the "realities" of owning and living in real estate in Japan——this, we believe, is the way of engaging that is uniquely ours. For example: matters of status of residence and identity verification; the fact that financing and overseas remittance come with constraints; the fact that good properties tend to be "first come, first served"; and the rules of daily life in Japan. So that you never end up saying "I wasn't told that" later, we align expectations with reality before proceeding. Rushing into a contract while the explanation is still lacking tends to lead to trouble later——which is exactly why, if we think it's better not to hurry, we honestly say so.

Three common misunderstandings——first, let's sort out the facts

In consultations with foreign clients, the exact opposite misunderstandings are both common. Let's start from the facts.

• ・"A foreign national can't buy Japanese real estate."——You can. Foreign nationals, and people living abroad (non-residents), can hold ownership of land and buildings just like a Japanese person, and can hold, sell, and inherit them. As a rule, there is no such thing as being unable to hold ownership because of your nationality or the presence or absence of a status of residence.
• ・"If you have cash, you can buy right away."——The procedures require preparation. In particular, buying while continuing to live abroad takes a little time for the necessary documents, identity verification, and arranging the overseas remittance. We put the arrangements in order and help you through them.
• ・"Good properties don't disappear that quickly."——They get decided surprisingly fast. Many people are looking for property in Japan right now, and a property close to your wishes is not infrequently taken by someone else. If you think it's good, deciding early matters.

*Buying real estate does not, in itself, grant a status of residence or permanent residency. Also, in certain areas designated by the government—such as around facilities important to national security—a prior notification may be required, and for acquisitions by people living abroad a report after the acquisition may be required (we explain this in more detail below). This is not something we determine on your behalf.

Comparing how to proceed (renting / buying while living in Japan / buying while living abroad)

Even for the same "Japanese real estate," the documents, time, and costs you'll need change with how you proceed. We line them up on the same axes below and sort them out together with you.

Which one suits you depends on whether you live in Japan, your purpose (living there or investing), and how your funds are prepared. We hear your circumstances and choose together with you (the costs and timelines are all rough guides and differ by property and situation).

Buying while continuing to live abroad——purchases by non-residents

We assist with purchases of Japanese real estate by people who continue to live abroad, in more than ten cases a year. Buying while a non-resident of Japan is a little more involved, but drawing on our track record, we put the arrangements in order and help you through them. The following are generally required.

• ・Documents in place of a certificate of residence: if you have no certificate of residence in Japan, an affidavit notarized in your home country, a certificate of residence abroad, or a signature (seal) certificate may be needed. Because the format differs by country, we tell you at the outset what will be required.
• ・Identity verification: in a real estate sale, under the law (the Act on Prevention of Transfer of Criminal Proceeds) we ask for identity verification of your name, address, date of birth, the purpose of the transaction, and so on. For people living abroad and foreign nationals, we may ask you to present or submit a passport, residence card, or the like (this is something we ask of all clients, as required by law).
• ・The registration procedure: registration of ownership is carried out by a judicial scrivener. We introduce a partner judicial scrivener (the engagement is your own contract, and we take no referral fee).

When a person living abroad acquires Japanese real estate, under the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act, a report to the Minister of Finance via the Bank of Japan may be required within 20 days of the acquisition (regardless of the amount or area; from April 2026 onward, acquisition of real estate is covered regardless of the purpose). Also, when buying or selling land or a building of a certain size or larger (200 square meters or more) within a "special watch zone" designated by the government—such as around facilities important to national security—a notification to the government before the contract may be required (this is a system that applies regardless of nationality). We also guide you through the arrangements for these procedures. Whether they apply and the detailed formats are things to confirm with the guidance of the Ministry of Finance, the Bank of Japan, and the Cabinet Office, or with a specialist (this is not something we determine, or carry out, on your behalf).

*"More than ten cases a year" is based on our track record to date and rests on our internal records. Whether we can assist differs by property and by your situation, so please consult us individually first.

A rough guide to costs and timelines

The initial costs for moving into a rental are roughly six times the monthly rent as a guide (e.g., about 600,000 yen for rent of 100,000 yen). The breakdown—deposit, key money, brokerage fee, advance rent, the guarantor company's fee, fire insurance, lock-change costs, and so on—varies greatly by property and contract. The time until move-in is as quick as about one week, and usually two to three weeks as a guide.

The incidental costs of a purchase are generally around 6–8% of the property price as a guide (brokerage fee, stamp duty, registration and license tax, real estate acquisition tax, judicial scrivener's fee, fire insurance, loan-related costs, and so on). For anything other than your own home, such as a holiday home or an investment, residential tax reductions are harder to apply, so the proportion tends to be higher. The time until purchase is as quick as about one month, and usually two to three months as a guide (these are all rough guides based on our experience to date, not statistical figures, and shift earlier or later depending on the property, financing, and negotiations).

In the case of a sale, a brokerage fee and the like apply. The time until sale changes with how you set the asking price (a price that sells quickly, a price you challenge over time, and so on). We hear your wishes and decide on an approach together.

*Costs and timelines are only rough guides and differ greatly by property, contract, and market conditions. The brokerage fee for a rental has a legal upper limit (within one month's rent plus consumption tax in total for landlord and tenant; for residential use, as a rule up to half of that, and the split can be changed with consent). For specialized procedures such as tax and registration, we introduce a tax accountant or judicial scrivener (whether they apply and the amounts are explained by each specialist; we do not make individual determinations ourselves).

The "rules of living in Japan" we always tell you before the contract

Something we especially value is carefully telling you the rules of daily life before the contract. This is because moving in while these are vague tends to lead to trouble when you move out. For example——

• ・How to put out the trash: sorting, and the rules for the set days and places.
• ・Getting along with neighbors, and noise: sound at night, and how to conduct yourself in shared housing.
• ・How to use the interior: the custom of no shoes indoors, and the rules on smoking.
• ・Restoration to original condition: how far you restore the room when you move out (the Japanese way of thinking).

What's "obvious" differs by country and region. We explain these differences at the outset, so you can live comfortably and won't be troubled when it's time to move out.

Being honest about the "realities" of financing and overseas remittance

This is an area where expectations and reality easily diverge, so we'll be honest with you.

Financing (loans): if you want a loan, we think through the financial institution options together. However, people living abroad, and people who do not hold permanent residency, may find the loans available to them limited, or harder to obtain. Whether it's possible and on what terms is ultimately up to each financial institution's screening, and this is not a promise that a loan will be granted. Including the option of buying in cash, we sort out your funding plan together, early on.

Remittance and payment from abroad: the remittance itself is a procedure carried out at a financial institution. Remittance involves the rules of the country the money is sent from (such as restrictions on taking foreign currency out). In China, for example, there are restrictions on individuals sending foreign currency to buy real estate overseas. Even as an individual, a person living abroad (a non-resident) can purchase Japanese real estate (it's not that you can't buy without a corporation). That said, how to open an account in Japan and settle the payment is something we consider together, depending on your situation. As your point of contact for the real estate transaction, we sort out the settlement arrangements and the preparation you'll need, together with you.

*We do not carry out or broker remittance on your behalf. Nor do we advise on ways to circumvent the regulations of the country the money is sent from. Remittance and foreign-exchange procedures are handled by a financial institution, and tax matters are explained by a tax accountant.

About language——how far we can assist in English and Chinese

We'll be honest about what we can and cannot do.

• ・Consultations and negotiations are handled in English and Chinese. The important-matters explanation is given by a licensed real estate broker, and we proceed while interpreting and explaining its content in English and Chinese.
• ・Statutory documents such as the contract and the important-matters explanation document are official in Japanese. To aid your understanding, we explain the content in English and Chinese and can, on request, prepare a reference translation (a reference translation is for understanding; the document with official legal effect is the Japanese one). Depending on the content, we may ask you for a final check in Japanese.
• ・As for other languages too, please feel free to consult us first. Depending on your request, we'll let you know the extent to which we can assist.

SIMCITY's strengths

• ・We accompany you in English and Chinese, from the initial consultation through the explanation of the contract. With those in regions that have a time difference too, we discuss the timing and respond accordingly.
• ・We have a track record of purchases made while the buyer continues to live abroad (more than ten cases a year; a guide based on internal records). We put the procedures, which tend to become burdensome, in order and help you through them.
• ・Rental, sale and purchase, and the management that follows. It isn't "buy and done" or "rent out and done"; we can also take on tenant recruitment (finding tenants) and the management after you move in or after you purchase.
• ・We tell you the rules of daily life honestly, before the contract. So you won't be troubled later, we explain the differences in how people live in Japan at the outset.
• ・For fields outside real estate, we work with partner specialists. Tax with a tax accountant, registration with a judicial scrivener, and legal matters with an attorney—we introduce them as needed (the engagement is your own contract, and we take no referral fee).
• ・From Tokyo and the three neighboring prefectures, of course, to properties across the whole country, we welcome a wide range of consultations (please consult us individually about whether we can take on a given case).
• ・Consultations and estimates are free (*for distant locations that take more than two hours one way, we may, after discussing it with you in advance, ask for actual out-of-pocket costs such as transportation).

Frequently asked questions

Q. Can a foreign national buy Japanese real estate?

A. Yes, you can. Foreign nationals, and people living abroad (non-residents), can hold ownership of land and buildings just like a Japanese person. As a rule, there is no such thing as being unable to hold ownership because of your nationality or the presence or absence of a status of residence. That said, buying does not grant a status of residence or permanent residency.

Q. Is it fine even if I can't speak Japanese?

A. From the initial consultation through the important-matters explanation, we assist in English and Chinese. Statutory documents such as the contract and the important-matters explanation document are official in Japanese, but we explain the content in English and Chinese and can prepare a reference translation on request. For other languages too, please consult us first.

Q. Can I sign the contract while still living abroad?

A. Yes, you can. We assist with purchases made while the buyer continues to live abroad in more than ten cases a year (based on internal records). We guide you through the documents that stand in for a certificate of residence (an affidavit, a certificate of residence abroad, and so on), identity verification, and the remittance arrangements. Note that for acquisitions by people living abroad, a report after the acquisition may be required under the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act.

Q. As a foreign national, can I take out a home loan?

A. We think through the loan options together, but people living abroad and people who do not hold permanent residency may find the loans available to them limited, or harder to obtain. Whether it's possible and on what terms is up to each financial institution's screening. Including buying in cash, we sort out your funding plan early on.

Q. Can I find out whether a property is a "stigmatized property" (one with matters to be disclosed)?

A. For a property where a death or the like occurred in the past (a property with matters to be disclosed), we explain this properly in advance, in line with the guidelines of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. Circumstances like these can affect a property's price or rent. We hear the wishes of those who mind and those who don't, and make our proposals accordingly.

Why clients choose SIMCITY (just three things, to close)

• ・We accompany you all the way, in English and Chinese. From the initial consultation through the explanation of the contract, we proceed while easing the worry of the language.
• ・We tell you the realities honestly, up front. Status of residence, identity verification, financing, remittance, and the rules of daily life—so there's no dispute later, we sort them out before the contract.
• ・A track record of purchases from abroad, and the management that follows. Not "buy and done"; we assist with renting, sale and purchase, and management through a single point of contact.

Please feel free to reach out first

"Can I really buy even as a foreign national?" "I'm worried about Japanese." "Can I sign the contract while living abroad?"——each person's circumstances are different. First, tell us your wishes and your worries. You're welcome to consult us in English and Chinese too. Whether it's a case where you'd better hurry, or one where you'd better pause for a moment, we'll tell you honestly.

Consultations and estimates are free (*for distant locations that take more than two hours one way, we may, after discussing it with you in advance, ask for actual out-of-pocket costs such as transportation).

▶ Book a free consultation here (English and Chinese welcome)

Last updated: August 21, 2026
Supervised by: Representative Director / Licensed Real Estate Broker, Hiroyuki Konuki (Real Estate Brokerage Business, Tokyo Governor License (2) No. 101645)