4F Nihonkoudoukai Building
3-1-6 Nishikanda, Chiyoda-ku,
Tokyo, Japan 101-0065
Telephone
03-6261-4097
Outside Japan & Global Division
+813-6261-4096
Domestic Sales Division
03-6261-4099
Fax
03-6261-4098
inquiry@mrl-tokyo.com
4F Nihonkoudoukai Building
3-1-6 Nishikanda, Chiyoda-ku,
Tokyo, Japan 101-0065
Telephone
03-6261-4097
Outside Japan & Global Division
+813-6261-4096
Domestic Sales Division
03-6261-4099
Fax
03-6261-4098
inquiry@mrl-tokyo.com
From April 2026, major changes to Japan’s condominium-related laws — including the Sectional Ownership Law — will come into effect. These reforms are designed to address a growing national issue: aging condominium buildings that are difficult to manage, repair, or rebuild due to inactive or unreachable owners.
If you are a foreign or non-resident owner of Japanese real estate, these changes are important and may directly affect how your property is managed, how decisions are made, and how much influence you have as an owner.
Below, we explain what is changing — and what it means for you.
Many condominiums in Japan are now over 40–50 years old. At the same time, a growing number of owners are:
As a result, necessary repairs, safety upgrades, and even rebuilding plans have been delayed for years. The new laws aim to ensure that condominium buildings remain safe, functional, and valuable, even when not all owners are actively involved.
Previously, many management and repair decisions required approval from a majority of all unit owners. From 2026, many decisions will be valid if approved by a majority of:
In addition, owners officially recognized by a court as “unreachable” may be excluded from vote counts altogether.
This change helps prevent buildings from becoming neglected — but it also means that decisions may be made without your input if you do not participate.
If you do not attend meetings or appoint a proxy, you may lose your ability to influence important decisions such as:
Management companies must now clearly disclose potential conflicts of interest, such as when they recommend contractors connected to their own group.
For overseas owners who rely on third-party management:
This is a positive step for foreign investors and holiday-home owners who cannot monitor day-to-day management in Japan.
If a unit is poorly managed, or if the owner cannot be contacted, courts may appoint a third-party manager to oversee that unit or shared areas.
This system is designed to protect buildings — not to punish owners. However, if an owner:
Their control over the property may be limited, and management costs can still be charged back to them.
Staying reachable and compliant is now more important than ever.
The law now formally recognizes multiple ways to “regenerate” aging condominiums, including:
These options can be approved through simplified majority voting.
This can be:
Foreign owners should carefully monitor discussions around redevelopment, as timelines and financial implications can move quickly once consensus forms.
Local authorities now have greater power to:
In short, condominium ownership in Japan is increasingly viewed as part of public safety and urban planning, not just private ownership.
To protect your investment and maintain control over your property, we strongly recommend:
Passive ownership is becoming riskier under the new system.
Japan’s 2026 condominium law reforms are intended to protect property value and safety, but they also reward engaged owners and disadvantage those who remain silent or unreachable.
For foreign owners, the key message is simple:
Stay informed. Stay represented. Stay involved.
If you own property in Japan but live overseas, having reliable local support is no longer just convenient — it is essential.
If you have questions about how these changes affect your specific property, or if you need assistance with representation, management, or proxy services in Japan, feel free to contact us.
