We love it in Japan and are considering buying an apartment here. Is it difficult for a US citizen? Would it be easier to get a visa if I had a property in Japan? Thanks!
This is a copy of your post for archive/search purposes.
—
**Is it difficult for a US citizen to buy property in Japan?**
We love it in Japan and are considering buying an apartment here. Is it difficult for a US citizen? Would it be easier to get a visa if I had a property in Japan? Thanks!
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/movingtojapan) if you have any questions or concerns.*
If you have the money to pay cash, it’s not too difficult. If you need a bank loan, then yeah, that’ll be difficult without a long-term visa and steady employment already.
You’ll basically need to pay cash in full but otherwise, no real limitations.
It will however not grant you residency or facilitate legal residency in any shape or form, so you will still need to look into a visa if you want to stay more than 3 months at a time.
It is not difficult to buy property if you are paying the full amount in cash— it however will be difficult or impossible to get a bank loan to buy property without a being a foreign resident (ie, having a work visa, spouse visa, etc) and having a steady job.
And no, owning property doesn’t give any preferential treatment when applying for visas. Unless you have some other situation (job offer in Japan, descendant of Japanese National, etc), you can only receive a tourist visa.
Buying property, super easy. If you have the cash, then go for it. Remember, you’ll have to worry about maintaining the property, paying taxes, etc.
Impact on your ability to stay in Japan or obtain a long-term visa? Nope, you’re just a property owner. It does not give you any sort of residency rights.
I agree with what others wrote regarding the purchase being possible, if you don’t use a bank loan.
One critical issue is how you’re going to pay your annual property tax without a local bank account (which you can’t get). I actually don’t know the answer, and am curious if anybody knows how non-resident foreigners manage this for property they own.
EDIT: 5 minutes later, I partly answered my own question, at least for Tokyo. On [this page](https://www.tax.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/oshirase/2020/20201118.html) they ask overseas tax payers to designate an onshore 納税管理人 (I guess “tax payment manager”), who will receive the annual tax assessment notification and make payments on your behalf. There is a procedure and lots of forms to register such a person. I just wonder who actually provides this service normally (accountants perhaps?)
>We love it in Japan and are considering buying an apartment here. Is it difficult for a US citizen?
Buying is easy. The difficulty comes from financing. If you don’t need financing you won’t have any issues.
>Would it be easier to get a visa if I had a property in Japan?
No, owning property does not confer any rights to entry nor residency.
>We love it in Japan and are considering buying an apartment here. Is it difficult for a US citizen?
Shouldn’t be an issue if you have the money in cash.
>Would it be easier to get a visa if I had a property in Japan?
8 comments
This is a copy of your post for archive/search purposes.
—
**Is it difficult for a US citizen to buy property in Japan?**
We love it in Japan and are considering buying an apartment here. Is it difficult for a US citizen? Would it be easier to get a visa if I had a property in Japan? Thanks!
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/movingtojapan) if you have any questions or concerns.*
If you have the money to pay cash, it’s not too difficult. If you need a bank loan, then yeah, that’ll be difficult without a long-term visa and steady employment already.
You’ll basically need to pay cash in full but otherwise, no real limitations.
It will however not grant you residency or facilitate legal residency in any shape or form, so you will still need to look into a visa if you want to stay more than 3 months at a time.
It is not difficult to buy property if you are paying the full amount in cash— it however will be difficult or impossible to get a bank loan to buy property without a being a foreign resident (ie, having a work visa, spouse visa, etc) and having a steady job.
And no, owning property doesn’t give any preferential treatment when applying for visas. Unless you have some other situation (job offer in Japan, descendant of Japanese National, etc), you can only receive a tourist visa.
Buying property, super easy. If you have the cash, then go for it. Remember, you’ll have to worry about maintaining the property, paying taxes, etc.
Impact on your ability to stay in Japan or obtain a long-term visa? Nope, you’re just a property owner. It does not give you any sort of residency rights.
I agree with what others wrote regarding the purchase being possible, if you don’t use a bank loan.
One critical issue is how you’re going to pay your annual property tax without a local bank account (which you can’t get). I actually don’t know the answer, and am curious if anybody knows how non-resident foreigners manage this for property they own.
EDIT: 5 minutes later, I partly answered my own question, at least for Tokyo. On [this page](https://www.tax.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/oshirase/2020/20201118.html) they ask overseas tax payers to designate an onshore 納税管理人 (I guess “tax payment manager”), who will receive the annual tax assessment notification and make payments on your behalf. There is a procedure and lots of forms to register such a person. I just wonder who actually provides this service normally (accountants perhaps?)
>We love it in Japan and are considering buying an apartment here. Is it difficult for a US citizen?
Buying is easy. The difficulty comes from financing. If you don’t need financing you won’t have any issues.
>Would it be easier to get a visa if I had a property in Japan?
No, owning property does not confer any rights to entry nor residency.
>We love it in Japan and are considering buying an apartment here. Is it difficult for a US citizen?
Shouldn’t be an issue if you have the money in cash.
>Would it be easier to get a visa if I had a property in Japan?
No