Disclaimer
Last updated: 2026-07-15
SUMIKA provides general educational information about renting, buying, owning and living in a home in Japan. It is not legal, tax, financial, investment or immigration advice, and we are not a real-estate brokerage.
Not legal, tax or investment advice
Content is general information only. Property, tax and tenancy rules change, and every situation differs. Before acting, confirm with the official sources linked in each article and consult a licensed professional — a lawyer, judicial scrivener, tax accountant or licensed real-estate agent. We deliberately avoid investment-return commentary: nothing here recommends property as an investment.
Not a brokerage — no listings, no introductions
We do not list properties, mediate transactions, introduce agents or landlords, or recommend specific properties. Real-estate brokerage in Japan is a licensed activity and SUMIKA stays outside it: we publish information, checklists and a calculator only. We also sell nothing and carry no affiliate links (see /how-we-review).
Figures, dates & the 'as of' rule
Legally fixed figures (such as the agent-commission cap computed on /cost-calculator) are shown with the date we last verified them and a link to the official source. Where a figure could not be verified — or depends on your property, municipality or tax year — we do not guess: we link to the official source instead.
Links & ads
The site contains links to third-party and government sites and may carry ads from our own network, labelled as ads. We are not responsible for external content. Official links (ministries, municipalities, the Legal Affairs Bureau) are provided for verification, not as endorsements.
Liability
We accept no liability for loss arising from use of this site, including decisions about renting, buying or selling property.
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