Japan to Probe Overseas Real Estate Regulations for Foreign Nationals, Will Use Data to Update Nation’s Own Laws on Land Purchase

The Yomiuri Shimbun

1:00 JST, October 14, 2025

The government will examine current legal regulations in other countries regarding real estate deals involving foreign nationals, with plans to compile results by the end of this fiscal year.

The government will look at legal regulations in Canada, Germany, South Korea and Taiwan, and will examine the extent to which foreigners are restricted in purchasing and leasing real estate in general, including land used for residential, agricultural and commercial purposes. The data will be used as reference material for making revisions to domestic laws.

In Japan, the Law on the Review and Regulation of the Use of Real Estate Surrounding Important Facilities and on Remote Territorial Islands fully came into force in 2022. The law, which regulates the use of land important for national security, requires authorities to be notified in advance of the purchase or sale of such land, for example in areas located near Self Defense Force headquarters. However, transactions by foreign nationals are not prohibited.

The law is set to be reviewed five years after its establishment, and the government is eyeing the possibility of revising it based on the results of the investigation.

Real-estate deals by foreign nationals became a campaign issue during the House of Councilors election in July, with calls from both the ruling and opposition parties for stricter regulations.