Shiho-shoshi (Solicitor) mainly provide the following services:
1. Procedures related to companies- When setting up a company- When a director has changed- When issuing new shares- When resolving or liquidating a company

Q&A on the Purchase of Real Estate

2. Procedures related to real estate- When purchasing real estate- When selling real estatein Japan- When an inheritance event takes place to a real estate owner

3. Procedures related to property management- upon being appointed as an administrator or a manager of properties, manage other person s businessor properties- upon being appointed as a guardian, an aide, or an assistant, act as an agent on legal matters(contracts, etc.) of other person including such matters as giving consent or making cancellations.
In addition to the above services, Shiho-shoshi (Solicitor) prepare documents which need to besubmitted to courts and so forth. For those Shiho-shoshi (Solicitor) who are certified by the Minister ofJustice, they can serve as procedural attorneys of civil lawsuits with the amount of claim up to JPY
1.4 million at summary courts.
As with the legal professionals in most countries, Shiho-shoshi (Solicitor) comply with the confidentiality
requirements as set out by the laws and regulations, concerning the matters discussed with their clients
as well as the details of the services they undertake. Shiho-shoshi (Solicitor) have duties andresponsibilities as professionals to abide by the laws and regulations, as well as a code of ethics.

(This brochure was prepared based on the laws and regulations as of March 1, 2017.)

Inquiries:
Japan Federation of Shiho-shoshi Lawyer s Associations
9-3 Honshio-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0003, Japanwww.shiho-shoshi.or.jp/

2017.03

Q1: Can a non-Japanese person or a company purchase real estate in Japan?

Q7: What purpose does a seal impression serve?

A1: You may purchase real estate in Japan even if you are a non-Japanese person or a company since there are

A7: A seal impression is affixed when a person intends to express his/her intent, alongside his/her signature orname. For example, a seal impression is affixed onto the document of real estate purchase/sale transaction.

no restrictions on nationality for purchase of real estate in Japan.

When you register your seal impression with a relevant government office, a certificate of seal impression forthat seal impression will be issued.

Q2: Is there any period for ownership of real estate, after the purchase?
A2: When you acquire ownership of real estate, there is no period for ownership, and thus you own the real estate
until you dispose of it. We recommend you to consider inheritance measures for your real estate, including suchmatters as preparation of a will.

Q8: What are the benefits of asking a Shiho-shoshi (Solicitor) to register theownership transfer of real estate?
A8: If you ask a Shiho-shoshi (Solicitor) to register ownership transfer of real estate, you can receive thefollowing support※2:

Q3: How do I investigate real estate rights?

・ Advice on required documents and procedures with respect to the purchase of real estate

A3: You may investigate real estate rights by obtaining a certificate of registered matters for a particular real estate

・ Review of legal documents such as contracts with respect to the purchase/sale of real estateat the Legal Affairs Bureau. The fee for issuance of a certificate is around JPY 600 and it will be issued on theday you make your request. The certificate is issued in Japanese only and unfortunately it will not be issued inEnglish. The certificate of registered matters gives key information on the real estate (location, size and type ofreal estate, etc.) not only information on the owner of the real estate but also the mortgage and leasehold
rights, if those rights have been registered.

・ Creating text of documents and obtaining documents that are required for registration of real estate・ Advice on inheritance measures and support for preparation of a will
・ Support with procedures when inheriting real estate・ Advice on preparation of a seal impression
・ Appointment of a tax agent※3
Checking of Sale/Purchase Contract

Registration of ownership rightTaxes on real estate

Regulations such as building restrictions

Q4: How can I check whether someone has acquired an ownership right?
A4: When a person registers transfer of ownership or preservation of ownership, such information will be posted ina registration record.
Inheritance procedures in the future

Q5: What do I have to do to change the registered name of real estate?
A5: A seller and a buyer will jointly submit a registration application to the Legal Affairs Bureau. It will generally

Many laws and regulations are involved concerning real estate.

take 1 to 2 weeks for the Legal Affairs Bureau to perform their review. Since its procedures are complex andmust be accurate, people generally ask us, Shiho-shoshi (Solicitor) to handle this task. When the Legal Affairs
Bureau completes their review, the buyer s name is registered as the new owner of the real estate, and thusyou can check the name of the owner with the certificate referred to in A3. Also, the Legal Affairs Bureau will
provide a notice of registration identification information of ownership acquisition.

Q6: What sort of documents do I need to prepare when purchasing real estate?
A6: The following documents will be generally required to register ownership transfer of real estate※1.

Buyer

Have an address in Japan

Do not have an address in Japan

In case of acompany

Certificate of registered matters

Certificate of registered matters

In case of anindividual

Copy of resident registerCertificate of address

In case of acompany

Certificate of seal impression
Certificate of registered matters
Registration identification information

Certificate of registered matters andcertificate of signature of a representative
Registration identification information

In case of anindividual

Certificate of seal impression
Registration identification information

Certificate of signature
Registration identification information

Seller

※1 Here, we indicate only the documents required for application of registration under the laws and regulations inJapan. In some cases, other documents such as a copy of your passport may be required separately.
※2 The scope of work of a Shiho-shoshi (Solicitor) does not include advice or support for procedures on taxes or

There are matters which are required to be certified in certificate of address, certificate of registered matters andbusiness licenses and approvals for hotel business, etc. We will refer appropriate experts on those matters.

certificate of signature of a representative. In addition, you need to prepare other documents which require※3 If a person who lives outside Japan purchases real estate, that person is required to appoint his/her tax agent.

signatures, such as registration reason attestation information.

Shiho-shoshi (Solicitor) can serve as his/her tax agent.