Mandatory Registration of Owner Information Changes

〜Enforced on April 1, 2026〜

Japanese Article

Background of the System

In recent years, Japan has seen an increase in “land with unknown owners” due to property registry information not being updated after inheritance, relocation, or other changes. This refers to land where the owner cannot be identified from the registry, or where the owner is known but cannot be contacted.

As the number of such properties increases, various social issues have arisen, including difficulties with real estate transactions, land use, deterioration of surrounding neighborhoods, and complications in disaster recovery efforts.

The total area of such land is said to be equal to the size of Kyushu, and the issue is expected to continue growing as inheritance cases increase.

In addition, before this requirement was introduced, many property owners did not update the registry after changing their name or address, causing differences between registry records and actual ownership information. As a result, confirming ownership and property rights often took considerable time, creating delays in property sales, inheritance procedures, mortgage registrations, and other transactions.

In response to these issues, Japan amended its laws in 2021 to make change-of-name/address registration mandatory.

Overview of the Obligation

If the name, company name, or address of a property owner (registered owner) changes, the owner must apply to update the registry within two years from the date of the change.

Although the system will be enforced on April 1, 2026, changes that occurred before that date are also subject to the requirement if they remain unregistered. In such cases, the necessary registration must be completed by March 31, 2028.

Failure to Comply and Administrative Fines

Failure to comply with this obligation may result in an administrative fine of up to JPY 50,000. However, penalties are not imposed immediately. The registrar will first send a notice requesting that the registration be completed within a specified period. If the owner still fails to comply without a valid reason, the matter may then be referred to the court.

Examples of Valid Reasons

Certain unavoidable circumstances may be accepted as valid reasons for non-compliance. Common examples include cases where the person is seriously ill and unable to complete the procedure, where financial hardship makes registration costs difficult to pay, or where an address change results from government boundary adjustments. These are only examples, and other circumstances may also be recognized as valid depending on the specific situation.

Expected Effects of the System

The mandatory registration requirement is expected to improve the accuracy and timeliness of property registry information. This should make it easier to identify and contact owners, facilitate real estate transactions, inheritance procedures, and financing reviews, and help reduce the occurrence of land with unknown owners.

For detailed procedures and further information regarding the system, please refer to the latest official guidance.