How Foreigners Can Pass Rental Screening in Japan: A Complete Guide

Introduction: Why Renting in Japan Feels Like a Challenge for Foreigners

If you are a foreigner living in Japan or preparing to move here, chances are you’ve already heard stories about how difficult it can be to rent an apartment. Many foreigners are surprised when they discover that it’s not just about paying the rent. In Japan, landlords and real estate agents often focus on something more intangible: trust.

For Japanese tenants, the rental process can already feel complicated with key money, guarantors, strict rules, and renewal fees. For foreigners, those hurdles can feel twice as high. Even people with stable jobs and good incomes sometimes face rejection simply because the landlord feels uneasy about renting to a non-Japanese person.

Why does this happen? It’s not always discrimination in the direct sense. More often, it’s about risk perception. Landlords worry about whether a tenant will pay rent on time, follow building rules, and be able to communicate smoothly in Japanese. Foreigners, fairly or unfairly, are sometimes seen as “high risk.”

But here’s the good news: with preparation, understanding, and the right strategies, foreigners can absolutely pass rental screening in Japan. Thousands of non-Japanese residents successfully rent apartments every year, from students and English teachers to long-term professionals and families. The key is learning how the system works and showing landlords that you can be a reliable, trustworthy tenant.

This blog is designed to be your complete roadmap. It will explain how the rental system in Japan works, why foreigners sometimes struggle, and—most importantly—what you can do to increase your chances of passing the screening process. By the end, you’ll know not only the rules but also the unspoken expectations that can make or break your application.

The Reality of Renting as a Foreigner in Japan

Before diving into the details of rental screening, let’s start with the broader reality: what it actually feels like to rent as a foreigner in Japan. This is important because understanding the mindset of Japanese landlords and agencies will help you prepare your own strategy.

1.1 First Impressions at the Real Estate Agency

Imagine you walk into a real estate office in Tokyo or Osaka. The staff greets you politely, but the moment they realize you’re not Japanese, their expression changes slightly. Some will be very professional and helpful, but others may look uncomfortable or hesitant.

Why? For many agencies, serving a foreigner means extra work. They might need to explain contracts in simple Japanese or English, worry about communication issues with the landlord, or check which apartments even allow foreigners. Some agents will tell you directly: “Sorry, this property is Japanese only.”

That phrase—“Nihonjin nomi” (日本人のみ), meaning “Japanese only”—is frustratingly common in rental listings. Sometimes it’s because the landlord had a bad experience in the past, sometimes it’s just caution, and sometimes it’s simple prejudice. Whatever the reason, it immediately reduces your options.

1.2 Common Emotional Reactions from Foreigners

Many foreigners describe the rental process in Japan as:

Stressful: The paperwork, the strict requirements, and the possibility of rejection.
Confusing: Unfamiliar terms like key money (礼金), renewal fees (更新料), and the role of guarantor companies.
Discouraging: Being turned away from apartments you like, even if you have the money.

For example, one English teacher in Tokyo shared her experience: she visited five agencies and found out that almost 70% of the apartments they showed her were off-limits to foreigners. Even though she had a full-time job and could pay the rent, landlords worried about communication problems.

This emotional reality is important to recognize. If you feel stressed or frustrated, you’re not alone. But knowing what to expect can make the process smoother.

1.3 Why Landlords Feel Nervous About Foreign Tenants

It’s useful to put yourself in the shoes of a Japanese landlord. From their perspective, renting an apartment is not just about money—it’s also about peace of mind. They want a tenant who will pay rent on time, stay for several years, follow the building rules, and avoid causing trouble with neighbors.

Some of the worries landlords often have about foreigners include:

Communication barriers: “What if the tenant doesn’t understand Japanese notices about garbage, maintenance, or emergencies?”
Unfamiliar customs: “Will they know the proper way to separate trash? Will they respect quiet hours?”
Contract issues: “What if they suddenly leave Japan without notice, making it impossible to collect unpaid rent?”
Stability: “Is their visa status stable? Will they stay in Japan long enough?”

Even if these concerns don’t apply to you personally, landlords tend to generalize based on past experiences or stories they’ve heard. That’s why it’s so important to address these concerns proactively during the screening process.

1.4 The Role of the Guarantor Company

Another key part of the reality is the rise of guarantor companies (保証会社, hoshō gaisha). In the past, tenants usually needed a Japanese guarantor—often a relative who would pay the rent if the tenant couldn’t. For foreigners, finding such a guarantor was often impossible.

Today, many landlords require tenants to use a guarantor company instead. You pay a fee (often 30–100% of one month’s rent at the start, plus annual renewal fees), and the company guarantees your rent payments. This system has made it much easier for foreigners to rent, but guarantor companies also conduct their own screenings. If they reject you, the apartment is out of reach.

This means you need to prepare not just for the landlord’s approval, but also for the guarantor company’s approval. Both play a role in whether you succeed.

1.5 The Bigger Picture: It’s Not Impossible

Despite these challenges, remember this: foreigners do rent apartments in Japan every day. International students, engineers, English teachers, IT professionals, and even families manage to find housing. The process may take more effort, but it’s absolutely possible.

Many Japanese landlords are also becoming more open-minded. With the declining population and the rise in foreign residents, more property owners see the benefit of welcoming non-Japanese tenants. If you approach the process with patience and preparation, you can find a place that suits your needs.

How Rental Screening Works in Japan

When you apply for an apartment in Japan, the process might look simple on the surface: you like a place, you fill out some paperwork, and then you wait for approval. But behind the scenes, a fairly complex screening system is at work. Understanding how this system operates is essential, because it will help you prepare the right documents, anticipate potential questions, and avoid surprises.

Let’s break down the steps, the key players involved, and what each of them is really looking for when they review your application.

2.1 The Three Gatekeepers: Landlord, Management Company, and Guarantor Company

When you submit your rental application, it doesn’t just go to one person. In fact, it usually passes through three layers of decision-making:

The Landlord (大家, ooya)
- The owner of the property.
- Ultimately decides whether they are comfortable renting to you.
- Sometimes they rely heavily on the management company’s opinion, but in many cases, their personal feelings still matter a lot.
The Management Company (管理会社, kanri gaisha)
- Handles day-to-day administration of the property on behalf of the landlord.
- Reviews your application, checks your documents, and communicates with the landlord.
- Often acts as the “filter” before the landlord even sees your information.
The Guarantor Company (保証会社, hoshō gaisha)
- Ensures that rent will be paid even if you default.
- Runs a financial and background check on you.
- Without their approval, most landlords will not move forward.

In practice, this means that even if the landlord personally likes you, the guarantor company can still reject your application, and vice versa.

2.2 The Application Form: What Information You Must Provide

When you find an apartment you want, the real estate agent will give you an application form (申込書, mōshikomisho). This form usually asks for:

Full name (in Roman letters and katakana)
Nationality and date of birth
Visa status and expiration date
Employer information (company name, address, phone number, type of contract)
Annual income (with proof such as payslips or tax documents)
Emergency contact (usually a Japanese resident, often required)
Previous address in Japan (if any)

For many foreigners, the visa status and emergency contact sections are the most stressful. Landlords want to know that you won’t suddenly leave Japan, and guarantor companies want a Japanese-based contact person in case something goes wrong.

2.3 The Document Check

In addition to the application form, you’ll often need to submit several documents:

Residence card (在留カード, zairyū kādo) – proof of legal stay in Japan.
Passport – sometimes requested to verify nationality.
Certificate of employment (在職証明書, zaishoku shōmeisho) – issued by your company to prove you work there.
Pay slips (給与明細, kyūyo meisaisho) – often the last 3 months.
Tax certificate (課税証明書, kazei shōmeisho) – to prove your annual income if you’ve been in Japan more than a year.
Student ID or admission letter (if you are a student).

The more stable your documents look, the smoother the screening. For example, being a full-time employee at a well-known company with a stable salary is a strong advantage. On the other hand, if you are a freelancer or part-time worker, you may face more questions.

2.4 What Landlords and Guarantor Companies Look For

Each of the three “gatekeepers” has slightly different priorities:

Landlord: “Will this person cause trouble? Will they stay long-term? Will my neighbors complain?”
Management company: “Can we communicate with this tenant? Do they seem responsible? Will the landlord feel safe approving them?”
Guarantor company: “Can this person pay rent every month? Do they have a steady income? Is their visa valid for long enough?”

In short:

Financial stability matters most to the guarantor company.
Personal trustworthiness matters most to the landlord.
Smooth communication matters most to the management company.

2.5 The Timeline of Screening

Here’s a typical timeline after you submit your application:

Day 1 – You submit the form and documents.
Day 2–3 – The management company reviews them and contacts the guarantor company.
Day 3–5 – The guarantor company runs a check and may call your workplace or emergency contact to confirm details.
Day 5–7 – The landlord makes the final decision based on the information provided.
Within 1 week–10 days – You receive the result: approved or rejected.

In some cases, it’s faster (just 2–3 days), but if there are questions or missing documents, it can take longer.

2.6 Red Flags That Cause Rejection

Based on both foreign and Japanese tenants’ experiences, here are some common reasons applications get rejected:

Unstable employment (short-term contract, low income, frequent job changes).
Visa about to expire (less than 6 months remaining).
No reliable emergency contact in Japan.
Poor communication during the process (ignoring calls, unclear answers).
Past problems with rent payment (if you rented before and had trouble).
Landlord’s personal bias (unfortunately still a factor).

Some of these are out of your control, but many can be improved with preparation—for example, renewing your visa before applying, asking your company HR to be your emergency contact, or preparing documents that clearly show your financial stability.

2.7 The Psychological Side of Screening

It’s important to realize that in Japan, screening is not only about facts, but also about feelings. Even if the guarantor company approves your income, the landlord might say no if they feel uneasy. This is why your behavior during viewings and communication with the real estate agent can make a difference.

Politeness, punctuality, and clear communication—even in simple Japanese—can reassure the landlord that you will be a responsible tenant. Small gestures, like writing a short self-introduction in Japanese, sometimes help more than you’d expect.

2.8 Summary of Chapter 2

The rental screening system in Japan is multi-layered, involving the landlord, the management company, and the guarantor company. Each has different priorities, but together they focus on three main questions:

Can you pay the rent reliably?
Can you communicate and follow the rules?
Can they trust you to stay long enough without causing trouble?

Understanding these questions allows you to prepare stronger applications and avoid common pitfalls.