Buying off-plan in Japan: what to check

Step 1: Who is selling: the company behind the project

Ask for the developer’s full legal name and registration number, not only the brand, and look the company up in the official register. The company that signs your contract should be the one that holds the land or the approvals.

What the rules and registers say

• Selling building lots or buildings as a business needs a real estate brokerage licence from the Minister (MLIT) or the prefecture (Article 3). Ask for the licence number and look it up in MLIT’s search of licensed brokers.Real Estate Brokerage Act (Act No. 176 of 1952), English translation, Japanese Law Translation (Ministry of Justice) (read 14 November 2026) · MLIT search of licensed real estate brokers (opened 14 November 2026)

In our data

16 of 31 projects we track in Japan name the developer by its legal company.

Examples

• Brillia Kyoto Kitayama The Residence: developer named as Tokyo Tatemono Co., Ltd. and Mitsubishi Estate Residence Co., Ltd., per Japanese outline data
• City Tower Tokyo Tamachi: developer named as Sumitomo Realty & Development Co., Ltd. No. 38)
• Mondomio Okinawa Resort Onna Village Fuchaku: developer named as Daiwa House Industry Co., Ltd.

Step 2: The land and what you will own

Find out exactly what you are buying: freehold, leasehold or a right of use, who holds the title today and what charges sit on it. Ask for the official registry extract, not a copy prepared by the seller.

What the rules and registers say

• The real estate register (touki) shows who owns the land and the mortgages on it. You can read the registered information online through the registry information service.Registry information service (touki) (opened 14 November 2026)

In our data

2 of 31 projects we track in Japan describe the units as leasehold in the sources we read. 1 of 31 projects we track in Japan publish an address or location precise enough for a map pin.

Freehold and leasehold in off-plan property

Step 3: Permits and approvals

Ask for the permit number and date and confirm them with the authority that issued them. A company licence or a sales registration is not a building permit.

What the rules and registers say

• Before construction is finished, a licensed seller may not sign a sale for the building until the required approval has been granted, such as the building confirmation under Article 6 of the Building Standards Act (Article 36). Ask for its number and date.Real Estate Brokerage Act (Act No. 176 of 1952), English translation, Japanese Law Translation (Ministry of Justice) (read 14 November 2026)

In our data

5 of 31 projects we track in Japan publish a permit or licence number.

Examples

• Brillia Kyoto Kitayama The Residence: permit or licence number R07 Kakken IPEC00277 (29 Aug 2025); change R07 IPEC00118 (20 Feb 2026) published
• City Tower Tokyo Tamachi: permit or licence number Building confirmation ERI-23039252 (27 Dec 2023), ERI-24018385 (23 Oct 2024), ERI-25018774 (18 Jul 2025) published
• Mondomio Okinawa Resort Onna Village Fuchaku: permit or licence number BVJ-FUK24-10-0001 (4 Apr 2024); BVJ-FUK24-11-0001 (19 Dec 2024); BVJ-FUK24-12-0001 (27 Mar 2026) published

Step 4: Where your money goes

Before each payment, know which account it goes to and what protects it if the project stops. Pay only into the account named in your contract, never into a personal account or a broker’s.

What the rules and registers say

• A licensed seller may not take earnest money of more than 20% of the price (Article 39).Real Estate Brokerage Act (Act No. 176 of 1952), English translation, Japanese Law Translation (Ministry of Justice) (read 14 November 2026)
• For a building not yet finished, a licensed seller may not take payments before handover unless they are secured, for example by a bank guarantee or an insurance contract (Article 41). Small amounts, up to 5% of the price and a ceiling set by Cabinet Order, are exempt.Real Estate Brokerage Act (Act No. 176 of 1952), English translation, Japanese Law Translation (Ministry of Justice) (read 14 November 2026)

In our data

0 of 31 projects we track in Japan state how buyer payments are protected (escrow, bank guarantee or insurance).

Escrow and deposit protection in off-plan property · Payment plans and deposits in off-plan property

Step 5: Recording your purchase and the contract

Check how your purchase is recorded before completion and what the contract says about delays, changes and refunds. Have an independent local lawyer or notary read it before you sign.

Step 6: Handover dates and progress on site

Compare the handover date you are promised with the record: earlier dates for this project and how the developer’s other projects went. Then check progress on site before each staged payment.

In our data

1 of 31 projects we track in Japan have a handover date on record that has passed; 1 had the date moved later.

Examples

• Aman Residences, Niseko: handover date on record has passed; months since: 35
• HOSHINOYA Hutte Niseko (provisional name): handover date moved later; months added: 28
• Brillia Kyoto Kitayama The Residence: handover date on record October 2027, no change so far