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Buying land in Japan as a foreigner: rules, costs and building

Can you buy land in Japan as a foreigner? Yes. The reports, farmland permits, road-access rule for building and taxes that apply to you, as of October 2026.

By JapanHow editors Updated 6 min read

Nationality limit on buying
None in the rules we checked
Non-resident report
Within 20 days
Road access to build
2 m on a 4 m road
Farmland
Permit needed
Short answer

Foreigners can buy land in Japan, whether they live here or abroad: none of the rules we checked bars buyers by nationality. As of October 2026, a non-resident reports the purchase to the Ministry of Finance within 20 days, and from 5 October 2026 an individual new owner gives nationality at registration. Farmland needs permission, and a plot must touch a qualifying road for at least 2 m before you can build. Land tax at purchase is mainly 3% acquisition tax and 2% registration tax, with reductions.

Yes: you can buy land in Japan as a foreigner, living here or abroad. None of the rules we checked bars buyers by nationality. As of October 2026, a non-resident must report the purchase to the Ministry of Finance within 20 days, and from 5 October 2026 an individual registering as the new owner also gives their nationality. Farmland needs a permit, and before you can build, the plot must touch a qualifying road for at least 2 m.

Can foreigners buy land in Japan?

Yes. We found no rule that limits land ownership by nationality. What applies are reports, notifications and permits:

Rule Who it affects What you do
Nationality at registration (from 5 October 2026) An individual who applies to be recorded as the owner in a new ownership registration (所有権の保存・移転) Give your nationality with the registration application, proved by a passport copy (with Japanese translation), residence card (在留カード) copy or a 住民票 showing nationality
Foreign exchange report (外為法) Non-residents Report to the Minister of Finance through the Bank of Japan within 20 days
Important Land Act (重要土地等調査法) Seller and buyer of 200 m² or more in a Special Monitored Area (特別注視区域) Notify the Prime Minister, through the Cabinet Office, before signing
Agricultural Land Act (農地法) Anyone buying farmland Get permission from the agricultural committee or prefecture

We did not research every law. A 行政書士 or judicial scrivener (司法書士) can confirm what applies to your plot.

Do I count as a non-resident?

For this report, the Ministry of Finance presumes a foreigner is a non-resident. You count as a resident if you work at an office in Japan, or if 6 months or more have passed since you entered Japan. If either applies you are presumed a resident. If neither does, you are presumed a non-resident and the report applies; ask a broker or the Ministry of Finance if unsure.

If you are a non-resident, the report is needed for any price or size. The forms are in Japanese only. A resident agent, such as your real estate broker, can file for you, on paper or online. Not reporting, or reporting falsely, can bring up to 6 months in prison or a fine up to ¥500,000.

Can foreigners buy farmland in Japan?

Buying farmland to farm needs permission from the local agricultural committee (農業委員会). Sendai City’s guidance lists the tests: you farm all the land efficiently, you or your household work the farm regularly (a guideline of 150 days or more), and you do not harm farming nearby. The minimum area requirement was abolished on 1 April 2023. Details differ by municipality, so ask the committee.

The ministry (MAFF) counted purchases in 2023: no foreign corporations and no foreign individuals living abroad bought farmland that year. MAFF also counted 219 presumed foreign nationals living in Japan who acquired 60 ha, and one company with a foreign shareholder abroad (0.6 ha).

Can I build a house on farmland?

Not simply. To buy farmland and use it for a house, you need a conversion permit under Article 5 (農地法5条). Seller and buyer file together with the municipal agricultural committee, and the prefectural governor grants it. Nagano Prefecture gives standard targets of about 3 to 4 weeks for the committee plus 2 weeks for the decision (not guaranteed deadlines).

First-class farmland (第1種農地) is generally refused. Converting without a permit can mean up to 3 years in prison or a fine up to ¥3 million, and the land can be ordered restored. Do not sign a contract on farmland before the permit question is settled.

Can I build on the land I buy?

Only if the plot has road access. A building site must touch a road defined under the Building Standards Act for at least 2 m, and the road is generally 4 m or wider. Otherwise a building permit (建築確認) generally cannot be obtained.

A road under 4 m can count if the local authority designates it, but then the building must be set back 2 m from the road’s centerline, so you lose some of the plot. Some ordinances ask for more frontage for larger buildings. Confirm road status at the city’s building guidance counter (建築指導課) before you sign. We did not research construction costs, so get builder quotes.

What does buying land cost besides the price?

Cost When Rate or amount
Registration and license tax (登録免許税) At ownership registration 2% of the registered value, 1.5% if registered by 31 March 2029
Real estate acquisition tax (不動産取得税) Once, by tax notice Land 3%; for residential land the base is half the assessed value until 31 March 2027
Fixed asset tax (固定資産税) Every year, owner as of 1 January Standard 1.4% of assessed value

Taxes use the assessed value, not the price you pay. Acquisition tax is not charged on land with a base under ¥160,000 (acquisitions from 1 April 2026). Fixed asset tax is not charged on land assessed under ¥300,000. Also budget for a judicial scrivener and a broker fee. We could not confirm the legal cap on the broker fee from an official page, so ask for the amount in writing.

How do I pay for it as a foreigner?

We did not research land-purchase loans for foreigners. Our mortgage guide covers home loans without permanent residency; ask a lender whether it finances land alone.

Buying land: the main steps
  1. You and the broker Check the land Farmland? 200 m² or more in a Special Monitored Area? Does it touch a 4 m road for 2 m?
  2. Agricultural committee or Cabinet Office Settle permits first Farmland permit, or the Cabinet Office notice before signing.
  3. Broker Contract and payment Your broker explains the key terms (重要事項説明) before signing; ask whether an English explanation is available.
  4. Judicial scrivener (司法書士) Register ownership From 5 October 2026, an individual new owner includes nationality.
  5. You or a resident agent Report if you are a non-resident Within 20 days, through the Bank of Japan, in Japanese.
  6. You Pay the taxes Registration tax at registration, acquisition tax by notice, then yearly fixed asset tax.

Owning land does not give you a status of residence. This page is general information, not advice on a specific purchase. Ask a judicial scrivener about registration and a licensed tax accountant (税理士) about tax.

Questions people ask

Can foreigners buy land in Japan?

Yes. None of the rules we checked bars foreign buyers. You face reports and notifications, not a ban: a Ministry of Finance report if you are a non-resident, and nationality at ownership registration from 5 October 2026 if you are the individual registering as owner.

Can foreigners buy farmland in Japan?

Buying farmland to farm needs permission from the local agricultural committee (農業委員会). Buying it to build a house needs a separate conversion permit, and first-class farmland is generally refused.

Can I build a house on land I buy in Japan?

Only if the plot touches a qualifying road for at least 2 m. Without that, a building permit generally cannot be obtained. Ask the city building office before you sign.

Do I need a visa or residency to buy land in Japan?

We found no rule requiring a particular status of residence to buy. Owning land also does not give you a visa. A non-resident has an extra report to file.

What taxes do I pay when I buy land in Japan?

Registration tax of 2% (1.5% if registered by 31 March 2029), real estate acquisition tax of 3% on a base cut to half for residential land until 31 March 2027, then fixed asset tax each year at a standard 1.4%.

Sources

  1. 届出について (重要土地等調査法), Cabinet Office (内閣府) (accessed Oct 27, 2026)
  2. 制度の概要 (本邦不動産取得の報告), Ministry of Finance (財務省) (accessed Oct 27, 2026)
  3. よくあるご質問（FAQ）2026.6, Ministry of Finance (財務省) (accessed Oct 27, 2026)
  4. 検索用情報の申出について, Ministry of Justice (法務省) (accessed Oct 27, 2026)
  5. 外国法人等による農地取得に関する調査 (2023), MAFF (農林水産省) (accessed Oct 27, 2026)
  6. 農地法第3条 許可 (一般), Sendai City (仙台市) (accessed Oct 27, 2026)
  7. 農地等の転用(4条・5条許可), Nagano Prefecture (長野県) (accessed Oct 27, 2026)
  8. 接道義務, Funabashi City (船橋市) (accessed Oct 27, 2026)
  9. 不動産取得税, Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Taxation (東京都主税局) (accessed Oct 27, 2026)
  10. No.7191 登録免許税の税額表, National Tax Agency (国税庁) (accessed Oct 27, 2026)
  11. 固定資産税, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (総務省) (accessed Oct 27, 2026)

Spotted something out of date or wrong? Email [email protected] and we will check it against the source. See our corrections policy.

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