Many apartment leases in Japan run for two years. If you’d like to stay beyond that point, first check the type of lease you signed.
An ordinary lease generally allows renewal, while a fixed-term lease typically requires you and the landlord to agree to a new contract if you want to stay.
For renters in Tokyo, one of the most common renewal questions is how much it will cost. Your lease may specify a renewal fee equal to one month’s rent, but the total on your notice can be higher if you also owe an administration fee or fire insurance premium. If the notice lists a higher monthly rent, check when the increase takes effect before deciding whether to stay.
In this guide, we’ll explain what to look for in your apartment contract, how to check the fees on your renewal notice, and how to renew your lease in Japan. We’ll also cover what to do if you plan to move out around your lease end date.
What to Check in Your Apartment Contract Before Renewal
Before you sign the renewal paperwork, put the notice next to your original lease. Find the contract type and end date, then compare the proposed rent, fees, and dates with the terms you agreed to when you moved in.
If you’re reviewing a lease for a new apartment, you can use the same checks before signing.
Check Whether You Have an Ordinary or Fixed-Term Lease
Look for 普通借家契約 (futsū shakka keiyaku) for an ordinary lease or 定期借家契約 (teiki shakka keiyaku) for a fixed-term lease. Either can run for two years, so the end date alone won’t tell you whether you can stay.
With an ordinary lease, the landlord generally needs justifiable grounds to refuse renewal. If you have a fixed-term lease, check whether the contract mentions 再契約 (saikeiyaku), which means entering into a new contract.
Wording such as 再契約可 means a new contract is possible. If you’d like to stay, ask the property manager whether the landlord will offer another term and when you can review it.
Review the Renewal Fee and Any Change in Rent
Look for 更新料 (kōshinryō), the renewal fee. If the clause specifies “one month’s rent,” check which rent figure it uses. For example, if it says 新賃料の1か月分, the fee equals one month of the new rent.
Compare the monthly rent on the notice with what you currently pay.
If it has changed, check the rent-revision clause in your lease and ask the manager to explain the proposed amount and effective date before you sign.
Find the Deadline for Giving Move-Out Notice
If you’re still deciding whether to stay, look for 解約予告 (kaiyaku yokoku), the advance notice you must give to end the lease.
Check how much notice your contract requires and how you must submit it. The deadline for returning the renewal paperwork may differ from the deadline for notifying the manager that you’re leaving.
If you plan to move out when the lease ends, work backward from that date using the notice period in your contract.
How Much Does It Cost to Renew an Apartment Lease in Japan?
For a typical apartment lease in Tokyo, the renewal fee is often one month’s rent. The amount depends on your contract, and some leases have no renewal fee.
Your total payment may also include an administration fee, a guarantor company charge, or a fire insurance premium if any are due at the same time.
Use the Japanese labels on your notice to identify each charge and check it against the relevant document.
| Charge on the notice | What to check |
|---|---|
| Renewal fee (更新料) | This is the fee you pay the landlord to renew the lease. Check the amount in your renewal clause and whether it’s calculated based on your current rent or the new rent. |
| Renewal administration fee (更新事務手数料) | The agent or management company may charge separately for preparing the paperwork. If both a renewal fee and an administration fee appear, ask where the second charge was agreed and who receives it. |
| Guarantor company renewal fee (保証会社更新料) | Check your guarantee agreement for the amount and billing date. Some guarantor companies charge annually, so this payment may fall due even if your apartment lease continues for another year. |
| Fire insurance premium (火災保険料) | Check the expiry date on your current policy and the coverage period on the invoice. If the premium is due at renewal, it covers the next insurance period. |
If the increase surprises you, ask the property manager how the landlord arrived at the proposed rent and when it would take effect.
If the invoice includes a charge you can’t match to your lease, guarantee agreement, or insurance policy, ask for an itemized explanation before signing the renewal documents.
How to Renew Your Apartment Lease in Japan
If you have a standard lease and want to stay, your property manager will usually send a renewal notice before the current term ends.
- Check the reply and payment deadlines. Your notice may give you one date to return the documents and another to pay the fees. Check whether the manager wants you to respond by mail or electronically. If you intend to stay but need clarification on a charge, contact the manager before the reply deadline and ask how to proceed.
- Review the agreement before signing. Check that the new term begins when your current term ends and that the rent and fees match what you agreed to. If the manager agreed by phone to reduce a fee or change the date a rent increase takes effect, ask for the revised terms in writing.
- Return the documents and pay the agreed charges. Complete the tenant section of the renewal agreement and submit it using the method on the notice. Check the payment instructions for each charge, especially if your insurer or guarantor company has sent a separate bill.
- Keep a copy of the completed renewal. Save the agreement, payment receipts, and the manager’s confirmation together. If your monthly rent changed, check the effective date so you know which payment should reflect the new amount.
If your lease is nearing its end and you haven’t heard from the manager, contact them using the details on your current agreement. Give them your building name, unit number, and lease end date.
Ask whether they’ve sent the documents, how you should respond, and whether any payment is due. If you’ve already missed the reply date, ask them to confirm your lease status in writing.
With an ordinary lease, a missed paperwork deadline alone does not mean you have to move out. Japanese law allows an ordinary lease to renew under certain conditions even without a newly signed agreement.
If you have a fixed-term lease and want to stay, ask whether the landlord will offer you a new contract and when you can review it.
What If You Plan to Move Out Around the Renewal Date?
If you plan to move out when your lease ends, check how your property manager wants to receive notice.
Submit the notice by the deadline in your contract and ask the manager to confirm the last day you’ll owe rent.
This is especially important if you plan to hand back the keys early, since your move-out date and the end of your notice period can fall on different days.
If the landlord offers an extension, you can compare its cost with what you’d spend to move earlier. An earlier move might save the renewal fee but leave you paying rent on two apartments at once.
An extension might let you move directly from one home to the other and avoid temporary accommodation or storage. Use the dates and charges for both apartments before deciding which move-in date to accept.
Should You Renew Your Lease or Look for Another Apartment?
If you’re still deciding whether to renew, compare the cost of both options over the time you expect to stay.
For your current apartment, include the renewal charges and any proposed rent increase.
For a new apartment, include the upfront fees, moving expenses, and any days you’d pay rent on both homes. A lower monthly rent may take longer than you expect to offset moving costs.
If you’d like to see what else is available before your notice deadline, browse our Tokyo apartments for rent.
Share your budget, preferred stations, and move-in date with our team so we can help you find apartments that fit your plans. Contact Tokyo Portfolio today!
