---
title: Buying property in Japan as a foreign buyer
country: japan
service: "foreign-buyer-property-purchase"
category: housing
difficulty: complex
estimated_time: "Six to twelve weeks from offer to registered title, with mortgage approval the dominant variable for financed purchases"
cost_range: "Approximately 6–10% of the property price in one-time closing costs (broker commission, taxes, judicial scrivener fees), plus down-payment and any mortgage origination fees"
last_verified: 2026-05-22
canonical: https://publicservices.guide/japan/foreign-buyer-property-open-purchase-but-loan-barrier/
status: current
confidence: low
tags:
  - "real-estate"
  - "property-purchase"
  - fefta
  - mortgage
  - "non-resident"
  - "foreign-buyer"
  - housing
  - registration
sources:
  - https://www.mof.go.jp/english/policy/international_policy/real_property/index.html
  - https://www.cao.go.jp/tochi-chosa/
  - https://www.japaneselawtranslation.go.jp/en/laws/view/2653/en
  - https://www.japaneselawtranslation.go.jp/en/laws/view/21/en
  - https://www.mlit.go.jp/en/report/press/totikensangyo13_hh_000003.html
  - https://www.boj.or.jp/en/research/wps_rev/rev_2022/data/rev22e07.pdf
  - https://www.realestate-tokyo.com/buy/loan-info/
---

# Buying property in Japan as a foreign buyer

**Country:** 🇯🇵 Japan  
**Last verified:** 2026-05-22  
**Estimated time:** Six to twelve weeks from offer to registered title, with mortgage approval the dominant variable for financed purchases  
**Cost:** Approximately 6–10% of the property price in one-time closing costs (broker commission, taxes, judicial scrivener fees), plus down-payment and any mortgage origination fees

## Required documents

- **Identification** *(身分証明書 (Mibun Shōmei-sho))*
  - Required for: Contract signing and ownership-transfer registration
  - Document: Passport for non-residents; Residence Card (在留カード — Zairyū Kādo) for resident foreigners
  - Issued by: Country of citizenship for passport; Immigration Services Agency of Japan for Residence Card
- **Registered seal certificate or notarised signature affidavit** *(印鑑証明書 (Inkan Shōmei-sho))*
  - Required for: Ownership-transfer registration at the Legal Affairs Bureau
  - Resident pathway: Registered seal certificate from the municipality where the buyer is registered
  - Non-resident pathway: Notarised signature affidavit from the country of residence in lieu of the seal certificate
  - _Note:_ The judicial scrivener will instruct on which form of identification authentication is acceptable for the specific transaction. Non-resident pathway documents are commonly notarised and apostilled in the buyer's country of residence.
- **Power of Attorney (non-resident, optional)** *(委任状 (Ininjō))*
  - Required for: Appointing a Japan-resident agent to act on the non-resident buyer's behalf at signing or registration
  - Authentication: Notarised in the buyer's country of residence and commonly apostilled
  - _Note:_ Many non-resident buyers appoint a judicial scrivener or administrative scrivener as agent to handle the registration leg and the post-purchase reporting in Japanese.
- **Proof of income** *(収入証明 (Shūnyū Shōmei))*
  - Required for: Mortgage underwriting if the purchase is financed
  - Resident pathway: Japanese tax return and withholding-slip gensen-chōshū-hyō (源泉徴収票)
  - Non-resident pathway: Foreign tax return and equivalent income statements; specific requirements vary by lender
- **Japanese bank account** *(銀行口座 (Ginkō Kōza))*
  - Required for: Wiring the balance to the seller on settlement day and for ongoing tax payment
  - Opened at: A Japanese bank or a foreign-friendlier institution such as SMBC Trust Bank (Prestia) or Shinsei Bank
  - _Note:_ Settlement requires the buyer to wire the balance from a Japanese account, and the wire must clear same-day. Open the account well before the settlement date to avoid delays.
- **Property registry extract** *(登記事項証明書 (Tōki Jikō Shōmei-sho))*
  - Issued by: Legal Affairs Bureau (法務局 — Hōmukyoku)
  - Typically obtained by: The brokerage on the buyer's behalf
- **Important Matter Explanation document** *(重要事項説明書 (Jūyō Jikō Setsumei-sho))*
  - Required for: Pre-contract disclosure under Real Estate Brokerage Act Article 35
  - Delivered by: Licensed Real Estate Transaction Specialist (宅地建物取引士 — Takken-shi) at the brokerage
  - _Note:_ The licensed specialist presents an identification card (shi-shō — 士証) during the explanation. The explanation may be delivered in person or via approved video conference.
- **Sales contract document** *(売買契約書 (Baibai Keiyaku-sho))*
  - Required for: Signing the binding sales contract
  - Delivered by: The brokerage, per Real Estate Brokerage Act Article 37
  - _Note:_ Stamp Duty is paid by affixing a revenue stamp directly to the contract document at signing.

## Costs

- **Broker commission (statutory cap for contract price above ¥4,000,000):** 60000 JPY — Quick-calculation method: 3% of price + ¥60,000 + 10% consumption tax. Full tiered formula: 5% on the portion up to ¥2M, 4% on the ¥2M–¥4M portion, 3% on the portion above ¥4M, plus 10% consumption tax. Statutory basis: Real Estate Brokerage Act Article 46 and Ministry of Construction Notification 1552 (1970).
- **Stamp Duty (印紙税) — contracts ¥10M–¥50M reduced band:** 10000 JPY — Schedule: ¥1,000 for contracts ¥1M–¥5M; ¥5,000 for ¥5M–¥10M; ¥10,000 for ¥10M–¥50M; ¥30,000 for ¥50M–¥100M; ¥60,000 for ¥100M–¥500M. Reduced rates apply through 31 March 2027 under the current concession; standard rates resume after sunset unless renewed.
- **Registration and License Tax — residential land (登録免許税):** 0 JPY — Reduced rate of 1.5% of the land's assessed value applies through 31 March 2027 (versus the 2.0% standard rate). Standard rate resumes after sunset unless renewed. Charged on assessed value, not market price.
- **Registration and License Tax — owner-occupied residential building:** 0 JPY — Reduced rate of 0.3% of the building's assessed value applies to qualifying owner-occupied residential buildings through 31 March 2027 (versus the 2.0% standard rate). Qualifying conditions include floor area of at least 50 m² and certain construction-date thresholds.
- **Judicial scrivener (司法書士) professional fee:** 80000–200000 JPY — The judicial scrivener prepares and files the ownership-transfer registration on settlement day. Lender-retained scriveners are common when the purchase is financed.
- **Real Estate Acquisition Tax (不動産取得税) — residential rate:** 0 JPY — Reduced rate of 3% of the assessed value applies to residential properties and land through 31 March 2027 (versus the 4% standard rate). Billed by the prefectural tax office approximately three to six months after acquisition; standard rate resumes after sunset unless renewed.
- **Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act post-purchase report (Form 22):** 0 JPY — Filed by a non-resident with the Bank of Japan, addressed to the Minister of Finance, within 20 days of acquisition. The Ministry of Finance does not charge a filing fee.
- **Important Land Investigation Act advance notification (Special Monitoring Zone, 200 m²+ only):** 0 JPY — Required before the transfer of ownership or comparable rights to land or buildings of 200 m² or larger within a Special Monitoring Zone. Applies equally to Japanese and foreign buyers.
- **Mortgage origination and guarantee fees (if financed):** 0 JPY — Typically 1–2% of the loan amount in combined origination and guarantee fees; varies materially by lender. Foreign-friendlier lenders commonly carry higher fee bands than mega-banks.
- **Annual Fixed Asset Tax (固定資産税):** 0 JPY — 1.4% of the assessed value, billed annually by the municipality. Ongoing cost after purchase, not a closing cost.
- **Annual City Planning Tax (都市計画税):** 0 JPY — 0.3% of the assessed value in designated urban planning zones. Billed together with the Fixed Asset Tax. Ongoing cost, not a closing cost.

## Steps

### 1. Engage a licensed brokerage and search listings

- Engage a licensed real-estate brokerage that holds a brokerage license from the prefectural governor or, for multi-prefecture operators, from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism
- Listings are aggregated through the Real Estate Information Network for East Japan (REINS, fudōsan ryūtsū kikō — 不動産流通機構), a broker-side service that brokers must register listings on; consumer-facing portals (SUUMO, Homes, AtHome) republish a subset
- The brokerage is your operational counterpart across search, the Important Matter Explanation, contract signing, settlement, and registration

> **Tip:** Foreign-buyer-experienced brokerages typically also coordinate the post-purchase report filing in Japanese on the buyer's behalf at no additional cost beyond the standard commission.

### 2. Make an offer with a letter of intent *(買付証明書 (Kaitsuke Shōmeisho))*

- Sign a non-binding letter of intent (kaitsuke shōmeisho — 買付証明書) setting the offered price and proposed conditions
- The seller responds with a letter of acceptance (uri-watashi shōmeisho — 売渡証明書) or a counter-offer
- Negotiation typically takes a few days to a few weeks

### 3. Receive the Important Matter Explanation *(重要事項説明 (Jūyō Jikō Setsumei))*

- A Licensed Real Estate Transaction Specialist (Takken-shi — 宅地建物取引士) at the brokerage delivers the Jūyō Jikō Setsumei in person or via approved video conference
- The explanation covers registered title status, structural information, easements and restrictions, infrastructure, hazard-map status, financing conditions, contract terms, and cancellation rights
- The licensed specialist must present a Real Estate Transaction Specialist identification card (shi-shō — 士証) during the explanation

> **Tip:** The Important Matter Explanation is a pre-contract disclosure. The contract is signed at a separate session, typically immediately after.

> **If this fails:** If the licensed specialist does not produce the identification card or skips load-bearing disclosure items (hazard-map status, easements, financing terms), pause the process and raise it with the brokerage. Article 35 obligations are mandatory; a deficient explanation is grounds to delay signing and is reportable to the prefectural governor's brokerage-license office.

### 4. Sign the sales contract and pay the deposit *(売買契約 (Baibai Keiyaku))*

- Sign the sales contract (baibai keiyaku-sho — 売買契約書) with the seller, witnessed by the brokerage
- Pay the deposit (tetsuke-kin — 手付金), typically 5–20% of the purchase price; 10% is the most common practice
- Affix the revenue stamp to the contract for the Stamp Duty (Inshi-zei — 印紙税); the rate depends on the contract value
- The brokerage delivers the formal contract document per Real Estate Brokerage Act Article 37

> **Tip:** Stamp Duty rates are reduced through 31 March 2027 — for a contract priced in the ¥10,000,000–¥50,000,000 band, the reduced stamp is ¥10,000 versus the standard ¥20,000.

### 5. Finalise the mortgage (if financed) *(住宅ローン (Jūtaku Rōn))*

_Applies when: If the purchase is financed_

- The lender's internal approval (shinsa — 審査) is completed; loan documents are signed; the lender wires settlement funds on the settlement day
- Mega-bank underwriting commonly requires permanent residency (eijūken — 永住権), a Japanese-citizen spouse as co-borrower, or two-plus years of continuous Japanese employment with the same employer
- Foreign-friendlier lenders — SMBC Trust Bank (Prestia), Shinsei Bank / SBI Shinsei, Tokyo Star Bank, Sony Bank — publish more accessible criteria, typically at higher down-payment thresholds (20–50% for non-permanent-residents)

> **Tip:** Lenders also routinely require a Japanese bank account and an income history denominated in Japanese yen or in a recognised foreign currency the lender accepts.

> **If this fails:** If the mega-bank application is declined and the contract has already been signed, two recovery options exist: pivot to a foreign-friendlier lender (typically a 2–6 week approval timeline at SMBC Trust Bank or Shinsei Bank) or restructure the contract to a higher cash component. The contract typically contains a jūtaku-rōn-tokuyaku (housing-loan special clause) that lets the buyer cancel without forfeiting the deposit if financing fails — confirm this clause is present before signing.

### 6. Attend settlement and file ownership-transfer registration *(決済と登記 (Kessai to Tōki))*

- Settlement (kessai — 決済) occurs in person, typically at the buyer's lender's branch or a designated venue
- The buyer wires the balance to the seller from a Japanese bank account; the wire must clear same-day
- A judicial scrivener (shihō-shoshi — 司法書士) — retained by the buyer or, more commonly, by the lender — receives the transfer documents and files the ownership-transfer registration (shoyū-ken iten tōki — 所有権移転登記) at the Legal Affairs Bureau (Hōmukyoku — 法務局) the same day
- Registration and License Tax (Tōroku Menkyo-zei — 登録免許税) is paid at registration: 1.5% of assessed value for residential land and 0.3% for qualifying owner-occupied residential building at the current concessionary rates (sunset date listed in the additional items)

> **Tip:** The judicial scrivener's professional fee typically lands between ¥80,000 and ¥200,000 in addition to the statutory taxes.

### 7. File post-settlement reports

- Non-resident buyer: file the Form 22 / Report on Acquisition of Real Estate in Japan (Fudōsan Shutoku Todokede-sho — 不動産取得届出書) with the Bank of Japan, addressed to the Minister of Finance, within 20 days of acquisition
- All buyers: at ownership-transfer registration the Legal Affairs Bureau records nationality (passport or residence card copy submitted with the application) under the current registration framework; nationality is retained internally and is not published in the public registry. The force-date for this disclosure requirement is listed in the additional items
- Special Monitoring Zone case: if not already filed before transfer, the advance notification to the Cabinet Office is required for properties of 200 m² or larger inside a Special Monitoring Zone — verify zone status at the Cabinet Office zone viewer (resum2.go.jp) before signing the contract

> **Tip:** The Ministry of Finance Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act leaflet states the report must be written in Japanese and may be submitted either by the non-resident who acquired the real property or by an agent residing in Japan. A gyōsei-shoshi (行政書士 — administrative scrivener) or the brokerage typically handles this filing on the buyer's behalf as part of the closing package.

> **If this fails:** If the 20-day filing window is missed, file as soon as possible. Late filings are commonly resolved with administrative correction; Article 70 carries a statutory ceiling of imprisonment up to three years or a fine up to ¥3,000,000 for violations of the Act, but criminal penalty is the extreme case. The conservative path is to over-file rather than under-file.

_Links:_
- [Ministry of Finance — Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act real-property reporting](https://www.mof.go.jp/english/policy/international_policy/real_property/index.html)
- [Cabinet Office — zone viewer](https://www.resum2.go.jp/)

### 8. Set up ongoing tax payments

- Wait for the Real Estate Acquisition Tax notice (Fudōsan Shutokuzei — 不動産取得税) from the prefectural tax office, typically three to six months after acquisition; pay at a bank, convenience store, or designated financial institution
- Wait for the annual Fixed Asset Tax notice (Kotei Shisanzei — 固定資産税) from the municipality, plus City Planning Tax (Toshi Keikaku-zei — 都市計画税) in designated urban planning zones; billed typically in four instalments per year
- Set up automatic municipal payment to avoid missed instalments — non-residents commonly designate a Japan-resident representative for tax-payment correspondence (nōzei kanri-nin — 納税管理人)

> **Tip:** Designating a nōzei kanri-nin (tax representative in Japan) is a common non-resident workaround for municipal correspondence that arrives in Japanese.

## FAQ

### Can a foreigner buy property in Japan?

Yes. Japan places no nationality restriction on freehold residential property purchase. Any foreign individual or corporation can buy land (tochi — 土地) and buildings (tatemono — 建物) on the same fee-simple basis as Japanese citizens. The Real Estate Brokerage Act and the Real Property Registration Act governing the transaction make no distinction by nationality.

### Does buying property in Japan grant residency or a visa?

No. Property ownership does not confer any residency right or visa. Japan has no investor-visa pathway tied to real estate alone.

### What is Form 22 under the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act?

Form 22 (Fudōsan Shutoku Todokede-sho — 不動産取得届出書) is the post-acquisition report a non-resident files with the Bank of Japan, addressed to the Minister of Finance, within 20 days of acquiring real property in Japan. The statutory basis is Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act Article 55-3. Since 1 April 2026, every non-resident acquisition triggers this obligation regardless of purpose.

### What changed on 1 April 2026 for foreign buyers?

The prior exemption for personal-residence acquisitions by non-residents under the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act was eliminated. All non-resident real-estate acquisitions — personal residence, investment, vacation use, or any other purpose — now trigger Form 22 reporting within 20 days. Nationality disclosure at ownership-transfer registration also became mandatory for all buyers (Japanese and foreign alike), though nationality is not published in the public registry.

### Do I need to file with the Cabinet Office?

Only if the property sits within a Special Monitoring Zone (tokubetsu chūshi kuiki — 特別注視区域) and is 200 m² or larger. These zones cluster around defense-related facilities, critical infrastructure, and designated border-island regions. Verify zone status at the Cabinet Office zone viewer (resum2.go.jp) before signing the contract. The zone test and 200 m² threshold apply equally to Japanese and foreign buyers — the screening is tied to geographic location, not buyer nationality.

### Why is it hard to get a mortgage as a foreigner?

The barrier is institutional, not statutory. Major Japanese banks (MUFG, SMBC, Mizuho, Resona) commonly require permanent residency (eijūken — 永住権), a Japanese-citizen spouse as co-borrower, or an extended record of stable Japanese employment (typically two or more years with the same employer). No law restricts banks from lending to non-permanent-residents, but underwriting practice does. Foreign-friendlier lenders include SMBC Trust Bank (Prestia), Shinsei Bank / SBI Shinsei, Tokyo Star Bank, and Sony Bank, typically at higher down-payment thresholds — 20% to 50% for non-permanent-residents is the common band.

### What is the Important Matter Explanation?

The Important Matter Explanation under Real Estate Brokerage Act Article 35 is the mandatory pre-contract disclosure that a licensed Real Estate Transaction Specialist delivers in person or via approved video conference before the buyer signs. It covers registered title status, structural information, easements and restrictions, infrastructure, hazard-map status, financing conditions, contract terms, and cancellation rights. The licensed specialist presents an identification card during the explanation.

### How much should I expect to pay in total closing costs?

Approximately 6–10% of the property price, excluding the down-payment portion and excluding ongoing taxes. Major components: broker commission (about 3.3% of price including consumption tax), Stamp Duty (band-dependent), Registration and License Tax (typically 1.5–2.0% across land and building), judicial scrivener fee (¥80,000–¥200,000 typical), Real Estate Acquisition Tax at the 3% residential rate billed three to six months later, and mortgage origination plus guarantee fees if the purchase is financed.

### Can I file Form 22 in English?

No. The Ministry of Finance requires the report to be written in Japanese. An agent residing in Japan may file on the non-resident's behalf — brokerages and administrative scriveners (gyōsei-shoshi — 行政書士) commonly handle this filing as part of the closing package.

### Does owning Japanese property create any annual tax obligation?

Yes. Two annual taxes apply: the Fixed Asset Tax (固定資産税) at 1.4% of the assessed value, plus the City Planning Tax (都市計画税) at 0.3% of the assessed value in designated urban planning zones. Both are billed by the municipality, typically in four installments per year. Property held by a non-resident may additionally generate Japan-side income-tax obligations on rental income.

## Local tips

- Verify Special Monitoring Zone status at the Cabinet Office zone viewer (resum2.go.jp) BEFORE signing the contract — an advance notification is required for transfers of land or buildings of 200 m² or larger inside a zone, and the test applies equally to Japanese and foreign buyers.
- Open a Japanese bank account well before settlement day. The buyer must wire the balance from a Japanese account to the seller and the wire must clear same-day; non-residents who arrive at settlement without an account in place routinely face delays.
- Engage a gyōsei-shoshi (administrative scrivener) or have the brokerage handle the post-purchase report in Japanese on your behalf — the Ministry of Finance accepts agent filings.
- Closing costs commonly land at 6–10% of the property price. The biggest line items are broker commission, Registration and License Tax, Real Estate Acquisition Tax (billed three to six months later), and the judicial scrivener's professional fee.
- Vacant-house (空き家) listings sit outside mega-bank mortgage products; cash purchase is the dominant pathway, and some municipalities run dedicated matching boards for these properties.

## Sources

- [Ministry of Finance — Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act real-property reporting page](https://www.mof.go.jp/english/policy/international_policy/real_property/index.html) — accessed 2026-05-22 — _T1_ — Reporting Requirement Under the FEFTA For a Non-Resident Acquiring Real Property Located in Japan. The report must be submitted to the Minister of Finance via the Bank of Japan within 20 days after the acquisition. The report must be written in Japanese. This report may be submitted either by the non-resident who acquired the real property or by an agent residing in Japan. Since 1 April 2026, every non-resident acquisition triggers the Form 22 obligation regardless of purpose — the prior personal-residence exemption was eliminated.
- [Cabinet Office — Important Land Investigation Office](https://www.cao.go.jp/tochi-chosa/) — accessed 2026-05-22 — _T1_ — The Important Land Investigation Act (Law No. 84 of 2021) designates Monitoring Zones approximately within a 1,000-metre radius of important facilities (defense-related sites and critical infrastructure) and Special Monitoring Zones as a higher-sensitivity subset. Advance notification to the Cabinet Office is required when transferring ownership or comparable rights to land or buildings of 200 m² or larger within a Special Monitoring Zone. The law took full effect on 20 September 2022. The zone test and 200 m² threshold apply equally to Japanese and foreign buyers — the screening is tied to geographic location, not buyer nationality.
- [Japanese Law Translation — Real Estate Brokerage Act (English translation)](https://www.japaneselawtranslation.go.jp/en/laws/view/2653/en) — accessed 2026-05-22 — _T1_ — The Real Estate Brokerage Act (宅地建物取引業法 — Takuchi Tatemono Torihiki Gyōhō, Law No. 176 of 1952) governs the brokerage of residential and commercial property transactions. Article 15 requires each business office to employ at least one full-time Licensed Real Estate Transaction Specialist for every five employees handling transactions. Article 35 requires the licensed specialist to deliver an Important Matter Explanation to the buyer before the contract is signed, covering registered title, structural information, easements, infrastructure, hazard-map status, financing conditions, contract terms, and cancellation rights. Article 37 requires delivery of a formal contract document. Article 46 sets the broker-commission cap, operationalised via Ministry of Construction Notification 1552 (1970) as 3% + ¥60,000 + consumption tax for contracts above ¥4,000,000. Buyer-side identity documents the licensed specialist verifies before contract delivery include the Identification document (身分証明書 — Mibun Shōmei-sho), the Registered seal certificate (印鑑証明書 — Inkan Shōmei-sho) or notarised signature affidavit for non-residents, an optional Power of Attorney (委任状 — Ininjō) where the buyer delegates closing, and Proof of income (収入証明 — Shūnyū Shōmei) where the buyer is financing the purchase. The post-closing title-transfer registration step (登記 — Tōki) is governed by the Real Property Registration Act (不動産登記法 — Fudōsan Tōki Hō, Law No. 123 of 2004) and filed at the local Legal Affairs Bureau (法務局 — Hōmukyoku).
- [Japanese Law Translation — Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act (English translation)](https://www.japaneselawtranslation.go.jp/en/laws/view/21/en) — accessed 2026-05-22 — _T1_ — Article 55-3 establishes the post-acquisition report obligation for non-residents acquiring real property in Japan. Article 6 defines a non-resident as a natural person or juridical person other than a resident, with a resident being a person with domicile or residence in Japan or a corporation with its principal office in Japan. Article 70 sets the penalty exposure for violations of the Act: imprisonment of not more than three years or a fine of not more than ¥3,000,000.
- [Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism — real-estate brokerage publication](https://www.mlit.go.jp/en/report/press/totikensangyo13_hh_000003.html) — accessed 2026-05-22 — _T1_ — Real estate companies that provide brokerage services for sale, purchase, exchange or leasing are subject to regulations including obligations on advertisement, the obligation to explain important matters about properties and terms and conditions to buyers, the obligation to issue documents describing contract details, and regulations on contract details. Brokerage licensing is administered at the prefectural level for single-prefecture operators and by the Ministry for multi-prefecture operators.
- [Bank of Japan — Flows of Overseas Funds in the Real Estate Market](https://www.boj.or.jp/en/research/wps_rev/rev_2022/data/rev22e07.pdf) — accessed 2026-05-22 — _T1_ — Foreign-investor acquisition share of commercial real-estate activity in Japan has hovered at around 20 percent in recent years, confirming an active foreign-capital presence in the broader market. The residential-mortgage layer is the predominant friction point for individual non-permanent-residents, with bank underwriting criteria — not statute — being the binding constraint.
- [PLAZA HOMES — Guide to Home Mortgage Loans in Japan](https://www.realestate-tokyo.com/buy/loan-info/) — accessed 2026-05-22 — _T3_ — Mega-bank residential mortgages (MUFG, SMBC, Mizuho) commonly require permanent residency or a Japanese-citizen spouse as co-borrower; non-permanent-resident approvals at these institutions are limited and typically require 30% or higher down payment. Foreign-friendlier lenders publish more accessible criteria: SMBC Trust Bank (Prestia), Shinsei Bank / SBI Shinsei, Tokyo Star Bank, Sony Bank, and Resona Bank. Typical published thresholds include a minimum annual income of ¥3,000,000 to ¥6,000,000, two or more years of continuous employment with the same employer, and a residence-card validity threshold (one year minimum at Shinsei Bank; three remaining years commonly looked for at SMBC Trust Bank).

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Canonical: https://publicservices.guide/japan/foreign-buyer-property-open-purchase-but-loan-barrier/