Why do Japanese apartments not allow foreigners?

First, there are the landlords who are risk-averse but not fundamentally opposed to renting to non-Japanese. This is why at Apts.jp, we choose to only work with foreigner-friendly property owners. Although discrimination laws leave a lot to be desired, laws protecting the rights of tenants are very strong.

Can I rent an apartment in Japan as a foreigner?

To apply for an apartment and make a lease contract in Japan, a non-Japanese person usually needs to provide two forms of official identification: A Passport. Either a visa or residence card.

What’s behind housing discrimination in Japan?

Concerns over communication, outright discrimination and non-persistent agents have combined to make Japan a treacherous renting environment for non-Japanese. However, renters can try to be smart in their applications by highlighting their job security, nationality or Japanese fluency.

Can a landlord evict you in Japan?

As long as the renter shows up it takes about 4-6 months for the court to issue an eviction notice. If the renter uses delay tactics, this can last 9-12 months. If you or your lawyer make a bureaucratic mistake, you will likely have to start your case from scratch.

Can Tourist rent apartments in Japan?

Passport and Visa To apply for an apartment or housing contract in Japan you need to provide two forms of official identification: 1. If you’re on a tourist visa, you’ll only be able to rent short-term contracts that specifically don’t require a guarantor. For long-term rentals, a 90-day tourist visa won’t be accepted.

Does rent in Japan include utilities?

Utilities. Utility bill payments are typically not included in the rent unless you are staying in a gaijin house or monthly rental. Prices vary depending on where you live in Japan, but on average expats should expect to spend around 20,000 JPY (190 USD) per month on electricity, gas, and water.

How is housing in Japan?

Traditional Japanese homes are made of wood and supported by wooden pillars, but today’s homes usually have Western-style rooms with wooden flooring and are often constructed with steel pillars. More and more families in urban areas, moreover, live in large, ferroconcrete apartment buildings.

What happens if you don’t pay the rent in Japan?

If you don’t pay your rent, the landlord will contact your guarantor to seek payment. Your guarantor is then legally obligated to pay on your behalf. It is not legal to change locks, shut off utilities or force entry into the property.”

Is there rent control in Tokyo?

With no rent controls and fewer restrictions on height and density, Tokyo appears to be a city where the market is under control—where supply is keeping home prices from rising as drastically as they have in many other major world cities.

Can Japanese landlords refuse to rent to foreigners?

“…There are no laws in Japan prohibiting property owners from rejecting applicants based on their nationality. This means landlords can freely advertise their properties with annotations clarifying that foreign tenants are not welcome.” And prohibit they do.

Why is it so hard to rent a house in Japan?

There are a lot of difficulties encountered by foreigners trying to rent in Japan and mostly it has to do with the one thing you cannot change: the fact you are not Japanese.

Why are so many foreigners being denied housing in Japan?

Roughly the same percentage also report being refused housing due to the lack of a Japanese guarantor. Nearly 27\% of the 2,044 foreign respondents who had sought new housing within the past five years reported giving up on a potential residence after discovering a notice saying “no foreigners allowed.”

Do non-Japanese renters contribute to the status quo?

While some experts and real estate industry insiders said that some non-Japanese contribute to the status quo by disregarding the rules, others condemned what they saw as renters’ blanket refusal to consider foreign tenants due to the behavior of a few — or even based on mere rumors of such behavior.