How do rental contracts and deposits work in Japan in 2026?

Shikikin means the security deposit. In ordinary private rentals, it is often one to two months of rent, though some listings ask for none and others ask for more. Reikin means key money, a payment to the landlord that is usually not refunded. It often ranges from zero to two months. If you are comparing two flats with the same rent, the one with lower reikin can be much cheaper to enter.

Many contracts also include kanrihi or kyoekihi, meaning the management or common-area fee. This sits on top of rent each month. Fire insurance is also common, and most private rentals now add a hosho kaisha fee. Hosho kaisha means a guarantor company that backs the tenant's obligations to the landlord. Some contracts also charge for changing the door lock when you move in.

Koshinryo means the renewal fee. In many parts of Japan, especially around Greater Tokyo, an ordinary lease renews after two years but still asks for a renewal fee that is often around one month's rent. In other regions, the practice can be lighter or absent, so you should never assume one national rule.

Most renters want an ordinary lease, called a futsu shakuyaku in Japanese housing practice. This is the standard form that usually renews unless one side follows the legal process to end it. A fixed-term lease is different. It ends at the agreed date unless both sides sign again. The Ministry of Justice requires a separate explanation that the contract will not renew automatically.

Fixed-term leases are not always bad. They can help if you only need a place for a defined stay, or if a landlord prices the unit more aggressively. But they carry more exit certainty, so read the end-date terms very carefully before treating the monthly rent as a bargain.

Residential lease registration is not a routine step for ordinary renters in Japan. The practical focus is the written contract, the important matters explanation, the payment record, and the move-in and move-out condition evidence.

Move-out disputes in Japan usually turn on cleaning, damage, and what counts as normal wear. MLIT's restoration guideline draws a line between ordinary deterioration from normal living and damage caused by the tenant's negligence or unusual use. In simple terms, normal aging of the home is not automatically something the tenant should fund.

That does not mean every landlord follows the fairest interpretation without pressure. Before moving in, photograph walls, floors, air conditioners, water areas, and any existing damage. Keep the inventory, the signed contract, and all special clauses. At move-out, ask for an itemized statement rather than accepting a vague deduction from shikikin.

If the dispute becomes difficult, the national consumer system matters more than many newcomers realize. Consumer Hotline 188 connects you to a local consumer affairs consultation desk, and those desks can help you understand the next route.