Key facts
- All property buyers in Japan must declare their nationality from April 1, 2026.
- The change applies to residential purchases, not just investment properties.
- The government aims for greater transparency and national security visibility.
- Foreigners can still buy property in Japan without restriction.
Japan is set to implement a new rule requiring all property buyers, including individuals purchasing residential properties, to declare their nationality starting April 1, 2026. This move expands on existing requirements that previously applied mainly to business or investment purchases and properties near sensitive areas. The government plans to integrate this ownership data into a digitized national registry as part of a broader national security and economic agenda. While the government emphasizes that this is an administrative change aimed at increasing transparency and data collection, analysts express concerns that the added paperwork and potential for scrutiny could curb foreign investment in the Japanese real estate market. The changes are seen as an extension of existing trends toward greater transparency, with major land transactions already subject to similar disclosure rules since July 2025.