Japan to Mandate Nationality Info. in Real Estate Registries

Tokyo, Dec. 16 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government plans to require new owners to provide nationality information when registering real estate, Justice Minister Hiroshi Hiraguchi said Tuesday. The nationality information will be used to analyze foreign acquisitions of land and buildings in Japan. The government will invite public comments starting late this month on a draft amendment to the regulations on real property registration, aiming to implement the mandatory rule by the end of fiscal 2026, which runs through March 2027. According to the draft amendment, real estate buyers, including Japanese nationals, will be required to state their nationality on the registration application form and attach a supporting document, such as a copy of their passport or residence certificate. While the obligation will not apply to already registered properties, nationality information may be registered upon request. For privacy reasons, the provided nationality information will not be shown in the real estate registries and will not be disclosed to the public. The nationality data will be managed as internal information and shared with relevant ministries and agencies through the government’s planned property registry database. Regarding real estate ownership by foreigners, there are growing concerns that speculative purchases by overseas residents have driven up condominium prices in the country. In November, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi instructed relevant ministers to consider a plan to introduce a system to grasp the nationality of real estate owners in the country. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]