This article was written by the NIPPON VISA & LIFE editorial team based on information from public organizations such as the national government and local governments. Rules and fees may differ depending on the city, ward, town or village where you live.
If you are having a hard time renting an apartment in Japan, do not keep searching alone; use the national government’s systems. Foreign residents are covered by the national government’s housing support. You can look for Safety Net Housing (rental housing that does not refuse tenants) and consult a Housing Support Corporation (an organization that helps people find a home).
The whole process of renting an apartment is explained in How to Rent an Apartment and Move in Japan: Finding a Home, Contracts, Move-in Costs, Moving In, House Rules and Moving Out.
The Short Answer: What You Can Do If You Cannot Rent an Apartment
- Look for a real estate agency (fudosan-ten; a shop that introduces apartments) where you can talk in a foreign language
- Use the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s “Safety Net Housing Information System” to find apartments that do not refuse tenants
- Ask a Housing Support Corporation in the area where you live (or want to live) for help finding an apartment
- If you have no guarantor, look for an apartment where you can use a rent guarantee company (yachin saimu hosho gaisha; a company that takes the place of a guarantor)
- If your income is low, also check public housing run by your prefecture or city, ward, town or village
- If you feel you were treated unfairly because you are a foreigner, consult the human rights counseling service of the Legal Affairs Bureau (homukyoku)
(Sources: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism “Housing Safety Net System”, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism “Smooth Move-in of Foreign Nationals into Private Rental Housing”, Ministry of Justice “Human Rights Counseling for Foreign Nationals”)
Foreign Residents Are Covered by the National Government’s Housing Support
The national government has a “Housing Safety Net System” that helps people who have difficulty renting a home. Under this system, people who need special consideration when renting a home are called “persons requiring special assistance in securing housing” (jutaku kakuho yo-hairyo-sha).
| Set by | Who is covered |
|---|---|
| Law | People with low income, people affected by disasters, older people, people with disabilities, households raising children |
| Ordinance of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (detailed rules under the law) | Foreign nationals, etc. |
| Prefectures and cities, wards, towns and villages | Can add more groups in their local plans (example: newly married households) |
The ordinance includes foreign nationals among the persons requiring special assistance in securing housing.
(Sources: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism “Housing Safety Net System”)
1. Look for Safety Net Housing
Safety Net Housing (registered housing) is rental housing registered with a prefecture, designated city or core city as housing that does not refuse persons requiring special assistance in securing housing.
- How to search: You can search on the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s “Safety Net Housing Information System” (the website is in Japanese).
- How to apply: Apply to the landlord (yanushi; the person who rents out the apartment) of the apartment you found. Contract conditions such as rent and guarantees are different for each apartment.
- Dedicated Safety Net Housing: registered housing that only persons requiring special assistance in securing housing can move into. Apartments repaired with a renovation subsidy must be rented for 10 years only to persons requiring special assistance in securing housing (as dedicated housing or Housing with Residential Support).
- Rent subsidies: In some areas, when a person with low income moves into Dedicated Safety Net Housing or Housing with Residential Support, the local government and the national government provide subsidies to lower the rent or the guarantee fee. Whether there is a subsidy depends on the local government, so check with the local government where you live.
(Sources: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism “Housing Safety Net System”, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism “Apartment Search Guidebook”)
2. Consult a Housing Support Corporation
A Housing Support Corporation (kyoju shien hojin) is an organization designated by a prefecture as a corporation that helps people with things such as finding a home. They include NPOs, social welfare corporations and companies. There are 1,196 corporations across Japan (as of June 30, 2026).
Examples of what Housing Support Corporations do:
- Providing information and advice about finding an apartment and moving in
- Supporting your daily life after you move in, such as watching over you (checking on how you are doing regularly)
- Guaranteeing the rent of people moving into Safety Net Housing
- Giving landlords information about how to rent out apartments
Not every corporation does all of these things.
How to find one
- Open the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s “List of Housing Support Corporations” (PDF). For each prefecture, it lists each corporation’s name, the area where it works, its phone number and its email address.
- The list has columns showing who each corporation supports. It is useful to look for corporations with a mark in the “foreign nationals” column. This column is reference information based on a survey, so a corporation without a mark may still support foreign residents.
- Call or email them, explain that you are looking for an apartment, and ask for advice.
A list in English (Excel) can also be downloaded from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism “Housing Support Corporations” page. What kind of advice they give and the cost are different for each corporation, so check first.
(Sources: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism “About Housing Support Corporations for Persons Requiring Special Assistance in Securing Housing”, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism “Overview of the Housing Support Corporation System”, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism “List of Housing Support Corporations”)
What Is Housing with Residential Support?
A system called “Housing with Residential Support” (kyoju support jutaku) also started on October 1, 2025. It is housing where Housing Support Corporations and others work with the landlord to do the following for residents:
- Regular safety checks (checking that the resident is all right)
- Watching over residents through visits and other means
- Connecting residents to welfare services when their life or health becomes unstable
You can search for Housing with Residential Support on the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s “Housing with Residential Support Information System“.
(Sources: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism “Housing Safety Net System”, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism “About the Revised Housing Safety Net Act”)
3. If You Have No Guarantor: Rent Guarantee Companies
Rental contracts in Japan often require a joint guarantor (rentai hoshonin; a person who promises to pay the rent for you if you cannot pay) or a rent guarantee company. Even if you have no one in Japan who can be your guarantor, there are apartments you can rent by using a guarantee company.
The national government has created the following two systems for guarantee companies.
| System | What it is |
|---|---|
| Registered rent guarantee companies | The Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism registers guarantee companies that can do their work properly |
| Certified rent guarantee companies | The Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism certifies guarantee companies that are easy to use for people who have difficulty renting a home |
Certified guarantee companies have rules for contracts with people who have difficulty renting a home (persons requiring special assistance in securing housing), for example:
- The emergency contact does not have to be an individual such as a relative (it can also be a corporation such as a company)
- Having a guarantor is not a condition for the guarantee
- They do not refuse to guarantee people moving into Housing with Residential Support without a valid reason
- The guarantee fee is not unfairly high
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism also publishes a list of registered guarantee companies that offer support in foreign languages (List of Registered Rent Guarantee Companies Offering Language Support for Foreign Nationals). Ask the real estate agency which guarantee companies you can use.
(Sources: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism “Housing Safety Net System”, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism “Overview of the Certified Rent Guarantee Company System”, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism “List of Registered Rent Guarantee Companies Offering Language Support for Foreign Nationals”)
4. Resources for Finding an Apartment in a Foreign Language
- Apartment Search Guidebook (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism): explains how to find an apartment, contracts and the rules for living there. It is available in 14 languages: Japanese, English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Nepali, Thai, Indonesian, Myanmar, Khmer, Tagalog and Mongolian.
- Foreign-language samples of the tenancy application form, the explanation of important matters and the standard rental housing contract (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism): 14 languages including Japanese. You can use them side by side with the Japanese documents to check the contents.
- Information on real estate agencies that speak foreign languages: introduced on the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s page as information from the Japan Property Management Association (JPM) (JPM “Support for Smooth Move-in of Foreign Residents”).
All of these can be opened from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s page “Smooth Move-in of Foreign Nationals into Private Rental Housing“.
5. If Your Income Is Low: Public Housing
Public housing (koei jutaku) is housing that prefectures and cities, wards, towns and villages rent out at low rent to people with low income who have trouble finding a place to live. Whether foreign residents can apply and what conditions there are depend on the local government. To find out when and how to apply, search the website of your prefecture or city, ward, town or village for words such as “公営住宅” (public housing), “市営住宅” (city housing) or “県営住宅” (prefectural housing), or ask at the housing section of your city, ward, town or village office.
(Sources: Immigration Services Agency “Guidebook on Living and Working” Chapter 11)
If You Have a Problem
Where Can I Get Help If I Am Turned Down “Because You Are a Foreigner”?
If you feel you were unfairly discriminated against because you are a foreigner, you can consult the human rights counseling service of a Legal Affairs Bureau or District Legal Affairs Bureau anywhere in Japan. Staff or Human Rights Volunteers (jinken yogo iin) will listen to you and think about solutions together with you.
| Service | Details |
|---|---|
| Foreign-language Human Rights Counseling Line | Phone 0570-090-911. Weekdays 9:00 to 17:00 (except during the year-end and New Year holidays) |
| Languages available | English, Chinese, Korean, Filipino, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Nepali, Spanish, Indonesian, Thai |
| Internet | You can consult in the 10 languages above through the Ministry of Justice’s “Foreign-language Internet Human Rights Counseling Reception” |
(Sources: Ministry of Justice “Human Rights Counseling for Foreign Nationals”)
What If I Have a Problem With a Contract or Money?
For trouble with apartment contracts, move-in costs, the return of a security deposit (shikikin) and so on, you can contact the Consumer Hotline (188) or a Consumer Affairs Center. For details, see Where to Get Help With Shopping and Contract Problems in Japan: Consumer Hotline 188, Consumer Affairs Centers and Cooling-off.
(Sources: Consumer Affairs Agency “Consumer Hotline”)
Can I Always Rent Safety Net Housing?
Not necessarily. Safety Net Housing is housing registered as apartments that do not refuse persons requiring special assistance in securing housing. However, contract conditions such as rent and guarantees are different for each apartment, and you need to sign a contract with the landlord. Check the conditions carefully before you apply. If you consult a Housing Support Corporation, they may help you find an apartment.
(Sources: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism “Housing Safety Net System”)
Primary Sources Used for This Article
- Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism “Housing Safety Net System”
- Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism “About the Revised Housing Safety Net Act”
- Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism “About Housing Support Corporations for Persons Requiring Special Assistance in Securing Housing”
- Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism “Overview of the Housing Support Corporation System”
- Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism “List of Housing Support Corporations” (as of June 30, 2026)
- Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism “Overview of the Certified Rent Guarantee Company System”
- Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism “List of Registered Rent Guarantee Companies Offering Language Support for Foreign Nationals”
- Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism “Smooth Move-in of Foreign Nationals into Private Rental Housing”
- Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism “Apartment Search Guidebook” (Japanese version)
- Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism “Safety Net Housing Information System”
- Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism “Housing with Residential Support Information System”
- Ministry of Justice “Human Rights Counseling for Foreign Nationals”
- Consumer Affairs Agency “Consumer Hotline”
- Immigration Services Agency “Guidebook on Living and Working” (Chapter 11 Housing)
This article is a translation of the original Japanese version.
