Japan to require large scale land purchasers to report nationality from 2026
- Adam German
- 34 minutes ago
- 2 min read
On October 1st , the Nikkei Shimbun reported that Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) has launched a new initiative to monitor large-scale land acquisitions by foreign nationals.
Photo by Gustav Gullstrand on Unsplash
From July 1, 2026, buyers of forest land exceeding 10,000 square meters are required to report their nationality to local governments. The ministry will establish a nationwide system by fiscal 2026 to centralize this information, aiming to prevent inappropriate land use that could threaten water resources and forest conservation.
Under the Land Use Planning Act, buyers must already report certain transactions to prefectural or designated city authorities within two weeks of contract signing. The law is designed to curb speculative deals and soaring land prices that could harm public welfare. Governors can recommend changes to planned land use if concerns arise.
The ministry recently revised enforcement regulations, adding “nationality” to the list of required information alongside purchase price, intended use, and the owner’s address.
To process and consolidate this data, the government has allocated system upgrade costs in its fiscal 2026 budget request. The system will also allow trends to be analyzed and shared with municipalities.
For corporate buyers, the reporting requirement extends to the country under whose laws the company was incorporated. In the case of Japanese subsidiaries of foreign firms, the entry would still read “Japan,” raising concerns that the data may not always reflect the true nature of ownership.
Reporting obligations apply only to large-scale transactions:
Urbanized zones such as residential or commercial districts: plots of 2,000 square meters or more.
Urban planning areas outside urbanized zones, including farmland: 5,000 square meters or more.
Non-zoned areas such as forest land: 10,000 square meters or more.
For example, 2,000 square meters is roughly the size of eight tennis courts.
In 2024, around 18,000 reports were filed nationwide. With annual land transactions totaling about 1.3 million, the new nationality requirement is expected to cover roughly 1% of all deals.
The Land Use Planning Act also allows for stricter controls in areas highly vulnerable to land price inflation. Currently, the only designated zone requiring advance reporting is Tokyo’s Ogasawara Village.
Other laws exist to safeguard national security. The Act on the Use of Important Land restricts improper use of sites near Self-Defense Force bases and nuclear facilities, while some prefectures have enacted ordinances requiring notification for land deals in water source areas.
Source:
Nikkei Shimbun (Japanese only; paywalled)
