Property Transaction Support
Entering a property transaction with the full picture in front of you
Legal support through the purchase, sale or lease of commercial and residential property — from title verification through to settlement. For private buyers and small companies acquiring or disposing of premises in Japan.
What this delivers
A written account of title, encumbrances, and anything that affects intended use
At the end of this engagement, you will have a written report on the title and any encumbrances registered against it, an explanation of any restriction affecting what the property can be used for, and a clear account of what the sale or lease agreement actually commits you to.
For buyers in particular, the period between agreeing a price and reaching settlement is the moment when legal questions are most consequential and most easily overlooked. This service is designed to fill that gap.
Written title and encumbrance report
A plain document setting out what the registration shows — ownership, mortgages, easements, and any registered restrictions — delivered before settlement.
Disclosure statement examination
The statutory disclosure document is examined alongside the title, so that what the seller is required to tell you is checked against what is actually registered.
Coordination with the judicial scrivener
Registration in Japan requires a judicial scrivener. Coordination with that professional is included, so the legal and administrative sides of the transaction are aligned.
The difficulty
Property transactions in Japan carry layers of documentation that are easy to misread
For buyers without legal Japanese, the registration documents, the disclosure statement prepared by the licensed agent, and the sale agreement itself represent three separate layers of information that do not always tell a consistent story. Encumbrances can be registered that the disclosure does not highlight. Use restrictions imposed by zoning or building codes can limit what the property can actually be used for, in ways that only become apparent when the documents are read against the applicable regulations.
Even for buyers who read Japanese fluently, the registration extract and the statutory disclosure are technical documents. What they reveal and what they omit is not always obvious from the text alone.
Small companies acquiring commercial premises face a version of the same situation. The sale or lease agreement prepared by the vendor's agent reflects that party's interests. Without independent review, the question of whether the terms are within normal commercial range — and whether anything important has been omitted — is difficult to assess.
Settlement is a further point of difficulty. The steps involved, the documents required, and the role of the judicial scrivener responsible for registration are not self-evident if you have not been through the process in Japan before. Attending with legal support in place means the process is explained as it happens and any questions can be answered on the day.
The approach
Working through the transaction in stages, at each decision point
The engagement covers the period from title examination through to settlement attendance. Each stage produces a written output, so you are not relying on a conversation that happened weeks earlier when the settlement date arrives.
Title verification
The registration extract is obtained and examined. Ownership chain, mortgages, easements and any registered encumbrances are confirmed and set out in a written report before any agreement is signed.
Agreement review
The sale or lease agreement is examined against the title findings and the disclosure document. Clauses governing price, deposit, completion obligations, condition and defect liability are assessed and explained.
Settlement attendance
Attendance at settlement to confirm documents, ask questions as they arise, and coordinate with the judicial scrivener handling registration. The process explained as it proceeds.
Working together
A transaction that follows a known path, with support at each stage
Week one–two
Title and disclosure examined
Registration documents obtained and reviewed. Disclosure statement examined. Written report on title and any encumbrances delivered to you.
Week two–three
Agreement reviewed
The sale or lease agreement examined. Any terms that depart from standard practice identified, and explanation of what the document commits you to provided.
Before settlement
Preparation confirmed
Documents for settlement confirmed. Coordination with the judicial scrivener completed. Any outstanding questions resolved before the date.
Settlement day
Attendance and completion
Present at settlement to confirm documents and answer questions as they arise. The process explained as it proceeds, and any last-minute issues addressed directly.
Typical duration: four to eight weeks, following the transaction timeline. The process fits around the agreed settlement date rather than running to a separate schedule.
Investment
A fixed fee for the full transaction
The fee covers the engagement from title examination to settlement attendance. It is agreed in writing before any work begins and does not vary as the transaction progresses, provided the scope remains as described.
Property transaction support
¥42,000
Fixed fee, confirmed in writing before work begins
- Written report on title and encumbrances
- Examination of the statutory disclosure statement
- Review of the sale or lease agreement
- Explanation of any restriction affecting intended use
- Attendance at settlement
- Coordination with the judicial scrivener handling registration
- Bilingual service — English and Japanese
Suited to
Private buyers acquiring residential property in Japan, and small companies purchasing or leasing commercial premises. Also available for sellers and landlords requiring legal support on the other side of the transaction.
What the fee does not cover
The judicial scrivener's own registration fees are a separate cost paid directly to that professional. Stamp duty and transfer taxes are also separate. These are set out clearly at the outset so you have a complete picture of the total cost of the transaction.
Initial consultation
If you are not yet certain whether this service is what your situation requires, an initial consultation at ¥15,000 covers the applicable framework and what the transaction is likely to involve, before any commitment to proceed.
How it works
A method that follows the transaction rather than running alongside it
Title work
The registration extract is the authoritative document. It is read in full, not summarised from the agent's description. Any encumbrance registered against the property appears in the report, regardless of whether it is mentioned elsewhere in the transaction documents.
Agreement review
The sale or lease agreement is read against what the title shows and against what agreements of this type in Japan ordinarily contain. Clauses that impose unusual obligations or that restrict rights in ways that are not standard are identified and explained before you sign.
Settlement
Settlement in Japan is a meeting at which multiple parties are present and documents are exchanged. Having legal representation present means questions can be asked and answered as they arise, rather than in the days that follow — when certain options may no longer be available.
Commitment
What to expect from start to completion
The fee is fixed before work begins. The scope is confirmed in writing. If the transaction changes materially — if a second property or a substantially different agreement enters the picture — that is discussed openly before any additional work is undertaken.
If anything found in the title examination or agreement review is outside the areas covered here, that is said clearly, and a referral is made where possible. The aim is to give you an accurate picture of your situation, not to extend an engagement beyond what is warranted by the circumstances.
Get in touchFixed fee, agreed before work begins
The engagement fee does not increase as the transaction proceeds, provided the scope remains as agreed at the outset.
Written outputs at each stage
The title report, the agreement review notes and the settlement summary are all delivered in writing, in plain language. You are not relying on a recollection of what was said in a meeting several weeks earlier.
No obligation consultation available
If you are uncertain whether this service is what the situation calls for, an initial consultation at ¥15,000 sets out the applicable framework and what further involvement would be worth considering.
How to begin
Getting started before the transaction moves further
Step one
Describe the transaction briefly
Write with a short description of the property, what stage the transaction is at, and what you are uncertain about. A few sentences is enough to start.
Step two
Scope and fee confirmed
We confirm whether the matter falls within the areas handled here and set out the fee in writing before any work begins. You decide whether to proceed at that point.
Step three
Work begins from title examination
Once confirmed, the engagement begins from the title stage and continues through to settlement. Each stage is delivered in writing before the transaction advances to the next.
+81 42-723-5641 · info@domain.com · 〒194-0013 Tokyo, Machida City, Haramachida, 4-2-17
Property Transaction Support
Write before the transaction moves to the agreement stage
The earlier legal support is in place, the more useful it can be. Describe the property and the stage you are at, and we will confirm what the engagement would cover and what it would cost.
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