Understanding Japan Property Ownership Certificates: The Complete Guide to Touki and Tohon

Buying property in Japan is an exciting milestone — but the process isn't complete the moment you hand over the money. In Japan, legal ownership is only established when your name appears in the official property register. This guide explains everything foreigners need to know about Japan's property ownership certificate system, known as touki (登記), including how to obtain records, what they contain, recent rule changes for foreign buyers, and the brand-new certificate system launched in 2026.

Whether you are buying your first home in Tokyo, investing in a rural akiya, or inheriting property as an overseas heir, understanding the touki system is essential to protecting your investment.

What Is Touki? Japan's Real Estate Registration System Explained

Touki (登記) is Japan's official system for recording ownership and encumbrances on land and buildings. The records — known as the tokibo (登記簿) — are managed by the Legal Affairs Bureau (法務局, Hōmukyoku) and are publicly accessible.

Every piece of land and every building in Japan has a tokibo entry. This entry is divided into two main sections:

• Title Section (表題部): Records the property's physical characteristics — location, area, type (residential, commercial, agricultural), and any structural details for buildings.
• Rights Section (権利部): Records who owns the property, when ownership was registered, and any encumbrances such as mortgages, pledges, or superficies rights.

The tokibo is the authoritative legal record. If your name is not on it, you are not legally recognized as the owner — even if you have paid in full and hold a purchase contract. This is one of the most important points for foreign buyers to understand: ownership is not legally secure until it is registered.

For a detailed overview of the entire purchasing process, see our Complete Guide to Buying Property in Japan as a Foreigner.

Types of Property Ownership Documents in Japan

Japan has several documents related to property ownership. Understanding the differences will help you navigate the process confidently.

The most commonly used document is the Touki Jiko Shomeisho (登記事項証明書). It shows the current registered owner, the property description, and all encumbrances. This is the document you — or your real estate agent — will request before a transaction to verify there are no hidden mortgages or liens.

The older term tokibo tohon (登記簿謄本) is still widely used colloquially, though it technically refers to a full copy of the original paper register. In practice, both terms often refer to the same type of printout from the Legal Affairs Bureau's computer system.

Who Can Own Property in Japan? Rights for Foreigners

One of Japan's most foreigner-friendly policies is its open property ownership rules. There is no difference in property rights between Japanese nationals and foreigners. You do not need a visa, residency permit, or Japanese bank account to purchase and register property in Japan.

This applies regardless of:

• Whether you live in Japan or abroad
• Your nationality or country of origin
• Whether you are buying for residence, investment, or vacation use

Japan allows foreigners to own, buy, sell, and inherit property with the same legal rights as Japanese citizens. You can register ownership directly at the Legal Affairs Bureau in your own name.

That said, the practical process for foreigners differs slightly from Japanese buyers, particularly around documentation requirements. For a full breakdown of your legal rights as a foreign buyer, read our guide on Can Foreigners Buy Property in Japan? Legal Rights and Restrictions.

The April 2024 Rule Change: Romanized Names in Property Registrations

Effective April 1, 2024, Japan introduced a significant new rule for foreign property owners. All foreign nationals registering property ownership must now have their names recorded in both Japanese characters and Roman alphabet format.

The format appears as follows:

ジョン・スミス (JOHN SMITH)

Japanese characters (typically katakana) appear first, followed by the uppercase Roman alphabet version in parentheses.

Required Documentation After April 2024

For foreign nationals residing in Japan:

• A copy of your residence certificate (juminhyo / 住民票) that includes your Romanized name
• Note: You must ensure your juminhyo lists your Roman alphabet name — contact your local ward or city office to confirm

For non-residents and overseas investors:

• A copy of your passport
• A signed declaration stating: "This is a true copy of the original"

This change applies only to foreign individuals becoming property owners. It does not apply to foreign companies, nor to non-ownership rights such as leasehold agreements or mortgage registrations.

The rationale is improved consistency between property records and international identification documents, making it easier to verify ownership across borders.

For more on the documentation process, Living in Nihon's Property Buying Guide provides a useful step-by-step overview for foreigners.

How to Obtain a Touki Certificate: Step-by-Step

Getting a copy of a property's registration record is straightforward and available to anyone — you do not need to be the owner.

Step 1: Identify the Property Details

You'll need either:

• The property's address (住居表示, jūkyo hyōji)
• The legal lot number (地番, chiban) — this is different from the postal address

If you only have the postal address, the Legal Affairs Bureau can help you find the correct chiban. Alternatively, your real estate agent or judicial scrivener will handle this.

Step 2: Choose Your Access Method

Step 3: Submit Your Request

At the Legal Affairs Bureau, fill in the request form specifying:

• Property type (land, building, or both)
• The chiban or residential address
• The type of certificate you need (current record or full history)

Step 4: Pay and Receive

Fees are ¥600 per document at the counter. Online requests for certified copies cost ¥480. Plain printouts (not officially certified) are available online for ¥334.

The resulting document will show all current registration details including ownership, any mortgages or liens, and the property's physical description.

For details on the complete property transaction process, see our Step-by-Step Home Buying Process in Japan for Foreigners.

Ownership Registration: How Your Name Gets on the Tokibo

Obtaining a certificate to view registration records is easy and open to anyone. But registering your ownership after purchasing is a different process that requires careful attention.

Who Handles Registration?

Most buyers hire a judicial scrivener (司法書士, *shihoshoshi*) to handle the ownership transfer registration. This professional:

• Verifies the register before the transaction
• Prepares all registration documents
• Submits the transfer registration to the Legal Affairs Bureau on your behalf
• Confirms the registration is complete

Judicial scrivener fees typically range from ¥100,000 to ¥150,000 depending on the property value and complexity.

Registration Tax (登録免許税)

Ownership registration attracts a registration tax (登録免许税) calculated as a percentage of the property's assessed value (固定資産評価額):

For a ¥40 million property, a 2.0% registration tax would equal ¥800,000. Note that the assessed value is typically lower than the purchase price, so the actual tax is often less than this. Inheritance registrations are charged at the lower 0.4% rate.

The 20-Day Foreign Exchange Notification

Foreign buyers must also comply with an often-overlooked requirement: notification to the Finance Minister under the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act (外為法) within 20 days of signing the purchase contract. This applies to most foreign nationals acquiring Japanese real estate. Your judicial scrivener or real estate agent can assist with this filing.

For a breakdown of all taxes and ongoing costs, see our detailed guide on Property Taxes and Annual Costs of Owning Property in Japan. Also, Gaijin Buy House covers required documents for real estate transactions in detail, which is useful supplementary reading before your purchase.

The 2026 Certificate of Real Estate Ownership Record: A Game-Changer

On February 2, 2026, Japan's Legal Affairs Bureau launched a major new system: the Certificate of Real Estate Ownership Record (不動産登記記録証明書).

What It Does

Previously, you could only search Japan's property register by property address or lot number — there was no way to look up all properties owned by a specific person. The new system changes this entirely. It allows eligible parties to request a certified list of all real estate registered under a specific owner's name or address nationwide.

Who Can Request It

Cost and Access

• Fee: ¥1,600 per certificate at the counter
• Where: Any Legal Affairs Bureau (online options also available)
• What's included: Owner's name, address, all registered properties (location, lot number, type)
• What's NOT included: Encumbrances such as mortgages (for those, request individual property certificates)

Why This Matters for Foreign Property Owners

This system is particularly valuable for:

• Overseas heirs who need to identify all properties inherited from a Japan-based relative
• Investors wanting to verify their full Japanese property portfolio in one document
• Estate planning — mapping your total Japanese real estate exposure

The system was created in response to Japan's growing problem of unregistered inherited properties. Following the mandatory inheritance registration requirement introduced in April 2024, this new certificate system helps heirs track down all properties they need to register.

Inheritance Registration: New Mandatory Rules from April 2024

Japan made inheritance registration mandatory from April 1, 2024 — a significant change after decades when many heirs simply never registered inherited properties. In some rural areas, land ownership records have remained unchanged since the Meiji era.

Under the new rules:

• Heirs must register inherited property within 3 years of the previous owner's death (or within 3 years of April 2024 if inheritance occurred before that date)
• Failure to register can result in fines of up to ¥100,000
• The process can be completed directly at the Legal Affairs Bureau or through a judicial scrivener

For foreign heirs living overseas, the same documentation requirements apply as for foreign buyers: passport copy with sworn declaration, or residence certificate with Romanized name for Japan residents.

Upcoming Changes: Nationality Declaration Requirement (Fiscal 2026)

Japan has announced plans to require nationality disclosure when registering property ownership, expected to take effect in April 2026 (fiscal year 2026). Under this planned rule, buyers will need to provide a passport or proof of nationality as part of the registration process.

This change is intended to improve transparency in Japan's real estate market, following data showing that 7.5% of new apartments in six Tokyo central wards were purchased by individuals living outside Japan in the first half of 2025.

The nationality disclosure is a reporting requirement — it does not restrict foreign ownership rights. You can still buy, own, and sell property in Japan regardless of nationality.

Stay updated on this and other changes through the For Work in Japan housing guide and resources from the Ministry of Justice's official property registration portal.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Assuming the contract transfers ownership Signing a purchase contract and paying does not make you the legal owner. Only registration at the Legal Affairs Bureau creates legal ownership. Never delay the registration step.

2. Using only the postal address The postal address (住居表示) is different from the legal lot number (chiban) used in registration records. Confirm the chiban before submitting any requests.

3. Forgetting the 20-day foreign exchange notification Foreign buyers must notify Japan's Finance Ministry within 20 days of signing. Missing this deadline can create compliance issues.

4. Not updating registration after inheritance Under the post-April 2024 mandatory rules, failing to register inherited property within 3 years can result in fines.

5. Skipping a pre-purchase registry check Always obtain a current Touki Jiko Shomeisho before finalizing any purchase to confirm the seller actually owns the property and to check for mortgages or other encumbrances. See our Legal Procedures and Documentation for Japan Property Purchase guide for the full checklist.

Summary: Key Takeaways for Foreign Property Buyers

• Japan's property ownership certificates (touki) are managed by the Legal Affairs Bureau and are publicly accessible
• Legal ownership is only established upon registration — not upon payment or contract signing
• Foreigners have equal property ownership rights to Japanese nationals; no residency required
• Since April 2024, foreign names must appear in both Japanese and Roman alphabet format in registrations
• A new Certificate of Real Estate Ownership Record system launched February 2026 allows owners to list all their Japan properties in one document
• Registration tax is typically 2.0% of assessed value for purchases; judicial scrivener fees add ¥100,000–¥150,000
• Mandatory inheritance registration rules (April 2024) require heirs to register within 3 years
• Nationality disclosure for property registration is planned from April 2026

For more on the complete buying journey, explore our Hidden Costs and Fees When Buying Property in Japan guide and the detailed Japan Real Estate Market Overview.

For authoritative information on registration procedures, visit the Ministry of Justice Real Property Registration page and the realestate.co.jp guide on Toki registration.