UR housing for foreigners: no guarantor, no key money

UR housing in Japan is public rental housing that charges no key money, no agent fee and no renewal fee, and needs no guarantor. You pay a deposit of 2 months’ rent. As of October 2026, foreigners can apply as permanent residents or as mid- to long-term residents with a residence card. You also need monthly income of 4 times the rent (a fixed amount on higher rents), savings of 100 times the rent, or rent paid up front for 1 to 10 years.

What is UR housing?

UR rental housing (UR賃貸住宅) is run by the Urban Renaissance Agency (都市再生機構, UR), a public agency. As of the end of March 2025, it managed 694,940 apartments in 1,408 estates (団地). Most are in the big city regions:

You deal with UR directly, at its sales offices (営業センター) and UR shops. There is no landlord, agent or guarantor company in between.

What does UR not charge?

UR’s own list of advantages:

The renewal rule has one exception: fixed-term contracts (定期借家), such as UR’s U35 plan, end at the end of the term. UR says the deposit can be lower during campaigns. At move-out, UR pays to repair normal wear and tear, and returns the deposit, minus repair costs you owe, in principle within 30 days of the contract ending.

Can foreigners rent UR housing?

Yes. UR’s requirements page says a foreign national can apply if you can fully understand the UR lease and you are one of these:

• a permanent resident (永住者), or on Diplomat or Official status
• a special permanent resident (特別永住者)
• a mid- to long-term resident (中長期在留者). This is the group the Immigration Services Agency issues a residence card (在留カード) to.

So work, spouse, student and dependent statuses with a residence card are covered. UR’s page doesn’t set a minimum number of months left on your card. You must also need the home to live in yourself, and your whole household must be able to move in within 1 month of the date UR sets.

UR also accepts applications from people living abroad who meet the requirements. If you apply online from abroad, register a Japanese address and phone number UR can contact.

What are UR’s income requirements?

UR uses your average monthly income: in principle, your income over the past year divided by 12. The amount you need depends on the rent and on whether you apply alone or as a household.

Example from UR: a single applicant renting at ¥50,000 needs ¥200,000 a month. A household renting at ¥60,000 needs ¥240,000.

What if my income is too low?

UR offers three main alternatives:

1. Savings standard (貯蓄基準制度). Savings of at least 100 times the monthly rent replace the income test. On ¥60,000 rent, that’s ¥6 million. You show a yen bank balance certificate issued within 7 days.
2. Paying rent up front (家賃等の一時払い制度). You pay rent and the common fee for 1 to 10 years (in 1-year steps) at signing. UR applies a discount, and there’s no income test and no income documents. UR doesn’t publish the discount rate; ask a UR shop.
3. Special cases. If your own income is at least half the standard, you can make up the rest with the income of relatives living with you, or with a rent top-up from your employer or from a relative who doesn’t live with you. Savings of at least half the savings standard can be combined in a similar way.

Students aged 18 or over at a university or vocational school (専修学校), people aged 60 or over, single parents and some people with disabilities can apply even below half the standard. They need a supporting relative (扶養等親族) whose income or savings meets the standard and who agrees to share liability for the rent. If you have a job offer but no salary yet, UR accepts its own income certificate form with proof of employment.

What documents do foreigners need for UR?

For the application:

• Certificate of residence (住民票), original, issued within 3 months, without your My Number, listing everyone who will live with you and your relationship.
• Income proof. Employees: last year’s withholding slip (源泉徴収票, without My Number) and this year’s taxation certificate (課税証明書) or resident tax notice. Under 1 year in your job: UR’s income certificate form and a copy of your employee ID. Self-employed: tax payment certificate No. 2 (納税証明書その2). Savings route: the bank balance certificate.

For the contract:

• Deposit, prorated rent and common fee, paid in advance at a bank with UR’s payment slip.
• Your registered seal (実印) and seal certificate (印鑑証明書) issued within 3 months. If you don’t use a seal, UR accepts a signature certificate (署名の証明書) from your consulate. You don’t need the seal certificate if the person signing comes in person, shows photo ID and hands over a copy.
• Photo ID of whoever comes to the office: My Number card, driver’s license, or a passport with your current address written in.

You’ll also need a Japanese bank account: UR doesn’t take credit cards, and rent is paid by automatic bank transfer (口座振替). See bank accounts for foreigners.

How do I apply for UR housing?

Popular units go fast. Most UR units are first-come, first-served, and new buildings, elderly housing and some others are allocated by lottery.

Does UR have discounts?

UR runs several plans on designated units only. Each one has its own conditions, and UR doesn’t say whether any of them have extra rules for foreign residents.

What are the downsides of UR housing?

• Older buildings. Over 60% of UR’s apartments were built between the 1950s and early 1980s, mostly suburban walk-up blocks. Apartments from 1965 to 1974 average 45.8 m².
• Location. Many estates are in the suburbs rather than city centers. Tokyo’s 23 wards hold 96,345 of the 694,940 units.
• Rent isn’t subsidized. By law, UR sets new tenants’ rent in line with similar housing nearby. The average advertised rent was ¥77,300 (March 2025), from ¥55,700 in 1965–74 buildings to ¥122,000 in those from 2004 on. You save on move-in fees, not monthly rent.
• Japanese paperwork. The lease and forms are in Japanese, and UR asks people who need Japanese support to have a Japanese speaker contact it.
• Pets. Standard units allow only small birds and fish. UR has separate pet-friendly units.
• Fixed-term plans. U35 and すくすく割 leases end after 3 years and aren’t renewed.

UR or a private rental with a guarantor company?

UR is usually cheaper to move into: 2 months’ deposit plus prorated rent, against MLIT’s rule of thumb of 4 to 7 months’ rent for a private lease. It also avoids the guarantor company screening and its emergency contact rules. A private rental gives you far more choice of location, and newer buildings, but you go through an agent and a guarantor company. See our guides to renting an apartment in Japan as a foreigner and guarantor companies compared.

If you only need a room for a short time, a share house may suit you better.

More guides

• Agents, portals and UR in one place: foreigner-friendly real estate agents
• The insurance most leases ask for: renters’ fire insurance
• Income documents for UR: resident tax and the taxation certificate