Rejected for Renting a Home Because You’re a Foreigner: Why It Happens and How to Improve Your Chances
Learn why foreigners are refused rental housing in Japan and discover practical tips for strengthening your application and increasing your chances of approval to 90%.
Aug 7, 2026·✍️ olablog·⏱ 12 min read
Learn why foreigners are refused rental housing in Japan and discover practical tips for strengthening your application and increasing your chances of approval to 90%.
“Sorry, this apartment does not accept foreign nationals” — this is probably one of the most discouraging and stressful things anyone living in or preparing to move to Japan can hear. Whether you are an international student, a technical intern, an engineer with a stable income, or settling in under a family visa, having your rental application rejected simply because you do not hold Japanese citizenship remains common. Why does this barrier exist? And how can you get through the screening process (審査 - shinsa) as smoothly as possible? This article from OlaChill will help you understand the hidden side of Japan’s real estate market and equip you with practical strategies for securing the home you want.
1. The reality of foreigner rental rejections in Japan
According to surveys by Japan’s Ministry of Justice and reputable organizations such as YOLO JAPAN, around 40% of foreigners living in Japan have been refused a rental contract at least once, with nationality being the direct or indirect reason. Notably, nearly 70% of those rejected had Japanese-language skills ranging from good conversational ability to professional fluency.
This shows that the issue is not entirely about your finances or language ability. Japan’s rental screening process operates through an extremely strict dual risk-assessment system:
- The guarantor company (保証会社 - hoshon gaisha) checks your financial capacity and credit history.
- The management company (管理会社 - kanri gaisha) and landlord (大家さん - oyasan) make their decision based on how “safe and easy to manage” you appear as a tenant.
If your application runs into trouble at either stage, it may be rejected immediately.
2. 5 main reasons landlords and management companies are hesitant
To solve the problem, you need to understand the perspective of Japanese landlords (oyasan). Most oyasan in Japan are older, value stability, and are highly wary of potential problems arising during a tenancy.
2.1 Language barriers and communication concerns
Many landlords worry that if an emergency occurs — such as a water leak, fire, natural disaster, or burst pipe in winter — the tenant will be unable to communicate in Japanese and respond quickly. If the management company has no English- or Vietnamese-speaking staff, it may simply reject the application to avoid complications.
2.2 Differences in daily-life customs (waste disposal and noise)
- Waste sorting (ゴミ分別 - gomi bunbetsu): Throwing out garbage on the wrong day, outside the designated schedule, or failing to separate burnable waste (lime/plastic/PET bottles) is a leading cause of disputes with neighbors.
- Noise (騒音 - soon): Walls in Japanese homes — especially wooden buildings (木造 - mokuzo) or cramped apartments (アパート - apato) — are often very thin. Having friends over to eat and drink or talking loudly late at night can easily result in complaints (kujo) being filed with the management company.
2.3 Concerns about financial risk and “skipping out on the contract”
Landlords worry that a foreign tenant might suddenly run out of visa validity, return to their home country (帰国 - kikoku), or move out to escape their debts (夜逃げ - yonige) without paying electricity, water, rent, or cleaning fees. For an individual landlord, recovering unpaid debts from outside Japan is nearly impossible.
2.4 Difficulty finding a guarantor (保証人 - hoshonin)
Traditionally in Japan, tenants are expected to have a joint guarantor (連帯保証人 - rentai hoshonin) who is Japanese and has a stable income. Most Vietnamese people who have recently arrived in Japan do not know anyone who meets these requirements.
2.5 Concerns about unregistered cohabitation
In many cases, the contract is registered for 1 occupant, but in reality 3-4 friends move in together. This is a serious violation of Japanese rental contracts and causes landlords to lose trust.
3. Tips for strengthening your application and improving your approval chances (審査に通るコツ)
If you want to maximize your chances of passing the screening process (shinsa), proactively prepare a “clean” and professional application package from the very beginning.
3.1 Prepare a complete and well-organized set of documents
Don’t wait for the agent to ask before looking for your paperwork. Gather all of the following before viewing properties (remember to bring both the originals and photocopies):
- Residence card (在留カード - zairyu kado): Valid for at least 1 year or longer than the contract term.
- Residence card / Passport (パスポート - pasupoto).
- Certificate of residence (住民票 - juminhyo): Obtain it from the city/ward office (市役所/区役所) where your address is registered.
- Proof of income:
- Employees: Withholding tax slip (源泉徴収票 - gensen choshuhyo), payslips from the most recent 3 months, or an employment contract (雇用契約書 - koyo keiyakusho).
- International students: Certificate of eligibility for residence status (在留資格認定証明書 - zairyu shikaku nintei shomeisho), bank balance certificate (預金残高証明書 - yokin zandaka shomeisho), or proof of a scholarship/family financial support.
3.2 Practice how to respond to the verification call (本人確認 - honnin kakunin)
After you submit your application, the guarantor company or management company will call you directly to verify your information.
- Attitude: Answer clearly and politely, using basic honorific Japanese (keigo).
- Content: Accurately confirm your full name, date of birth, company/school name, salary, and commitment to following the rules of communal living.
- Tip: If your Japanese is not strong, practice common questions with someone who has been through the process or ask the real estate agent to conduct a role-play before you answer the call.
3.3 Use guarantor companies (保証会社) that specialize in foreign residents
If you do not have a Japanese personal guarantor, choose an agent partnered with reputable guarantor companies that support multiple languages:
- GTN (Global Trust Networks): A company specializing in guarantees for foreign residents in Japan, with Vietnamese-speaking staff.
- Epos Card / Nihon Safety / Casa: Major guarantor providers with relatively flexible screening processes for foreign workers with valid visas.
4. Summary of initial rental costs in Japan (as of August 2026)
The initial costs (初期費用 - shoki hiyo) of renting a private home in Japan are usually 3 to 5 times the monthly rent. Below is a detailed breakdown of average costs as of August 2026 (using an approximate exchange rate of 1 JPY ≈ 165 VND):
| Fee (Japanese + Romaji) | Typical cost | Example for a home costing 60.000 JPY/month (~9,9 million VND) | Notes & characteristics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Security deposit (敷金 - shikikin) | 1 - 2 months’ rent | 60.000 – 120.000 JPY (~9,9 - 19,8 million VND) | Partially refundable after cleaning fees are deducted in accordance with the law. |
| Key money (礼金 - reikin) | 0 - 2 months’ rent | 0 – 120.000 JPY (~0 - 19,8 million VND) | A “thank-you” payment to the landlord, non-refundable. Many properties today have “0 reikin.” |
| Brokerage fee (仲介手数料 - chukai tesuryo) | 0,5 - 1 month’s rent + tax | 33.000 – 66.000 JPY (~5,4 - 10,8 million VND) | Paid to the real estate agency. |
| Guarantor fee (保証料 - hoshoryo) | 50% - 100% of the first month’s rent | 30.000 – 60.000 JPY (~4,9 - 9,9 million VND) | Paid to the guarantor company (renewal costs approximately 10.000 JPY/year). |
| Fire insurance (火災保険料 - kasai hokenryo) | Fixed 2-year fee | 15.000 – 25.000 JPY (~2,4 - 4,1 million VND) | Mandatory when signing the contract. |
| Lock-change fee (鍵交換費用 - kagi kokan hiyo) | Fixed fee | 15.000 – 25.000 JPY (~2,4 - 4,1 million VND) | Covers replacing the lock cylinder for safety. |
| Rent paid in advance (前家賃 - mae yachin) | 1 month’s rent | 60.000 JPY (~9,9 million VND) | Rent for the first month after moving in. |
| Estimated total initial cost | Approximately 3,5 - 5 months’ rent | 230.000 – 380.000 JPY (~37,9 - 62,7 million VND) | As of August 2026. |
5. Housing options and Vietnamese-friendly real estate channels (Gaikokujin-friendly)
If you do not want to spend a great deal of time being rejected by traditional landlords, focus on housing options designed specifically for or friendly toward foreign residents.
5.1 UR Housing (UR賃貸住宅 - UR chintai jutaku)
UR Housing is a public housing system operated by the Japan Urban Renaissance Agency. It is often considered a “holy grail” for foreigners living in Japan:
- No key money (礼金ゼロ - reikin zero).
- No guarantor / guarantor fee.
- No contract renewal fee (更新料ゼロ - koshinryo zero).
- Requirements: You only need to prove that your monthly income is approximately 3 - 4 times the rent or have enough savings to meet UR’s requirements.
5.2 Village House (ヴィレッジハウス) and sharehouses
- Village House: Renovated former employee housing complexes offering extremely affordable rent (from just 20.000 – 40.000 JPY/month), without demanding security deposits or key money.
- Sharehouses (Oakhouse, Borderless House, Sakura House): Rent a private room in an apartment with a shared kitchen and bathroom. The process is extremely simple: you can move in with just your passport/residence card and do not need to undergo complicated screening.
5.3 Specialized agents and the Safety Net Housing system
- Search on SUUMO / HOME'S: Select the “外国人相談可” (Gaiko-kujin sodan ka - Foreigners welcome for consultation) filter to eliminate properties that refuse foreign nationals from the outset.
- Safety Net Housing (セーフティネット住宅 - sefuti nettu jutaku): A platform managed by Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) that lists properties committed to accepting people who need housing assistance, including foreign residents.
6. Tenant rights and legal regulations you should know
Once you have signed a rental contract in Japan, you are protected by law equally with Japanese citizens.
- Act on Land and Building Leases (借地借家法 - Shakuchi Shakyakaho): Protects tenants’ right to reside in their homes. A landlord cannot unilaterally evict you without a “justifiable reason” (正当事由 - seito jiyu) accepted by a court.
- Security deposit refund rules (敷金返還 - shikikin henkan): Under the revised Civil Code (Article 621) and MLIT’s Guidelines for Restoring the Property to Its Original Condition (原状回復のガイドライン), tenants DO NOT have to pay for normal wear and tear over time, such as walls fading from sunlight or refrigerator marks on the floor. You are responsible only for repairing damage caused intentionally or through negligence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Can I apply to rent a home before I arrive in Japan (while I am still in Vietnam)?
A. Yes, but your options will be more limited. You can look for UR Housing properties, sharehouses, or real estate companies that offer remote application support for foreign residents, such as GTN and Best-Estate. Many companies accept a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) instead of a residence card.
Q. Does the type of visa affect the approval rate for a rental application?
A. Yes. Long-term work visas (Engineer, Humanities, Skilled Labor) or Permanent Resident visas (永住者 - eijusha) generally have the highest approval rates. International Student or Technical Intern Training visas may be subject to stricter checks regarding the source of financial support.
Q. If my application is rejected for 1 apartment, will that history be recorded and affect my chances with other properties?
A. It will not affect the entire market. However, if you are rejected by a specific guarantor company (保証会社), the data may be retained in that company’s system or by the guarantor association it belongs to. A real estate agent can help you submit your application to a different guarantor company.
Q. Am I allowed to move out before the 2-year contract expires?
A. Yes. In most cases, you only need to notify the management company 1 to 2 months in advance, depending on the terms of your contract. However, if you move out very early — for example, within the first year under a contract containing an early-termination penalty (違約金 - iyakukin) — you may have to pay 1 month’s rent as compensation.
Conclusion and advice from OlaChill
Being rejected for a rental home in Japan does not mean you are “not good enough.” It is simply the result of the somewhat conservative risk-prevention practices of the domestic real estate market. By preparing transparent documentation, demonstrating respect for Japanese living customs, and choosing the right foreigner-friendly real estate channels, you can absolutely find a comfortable home at a reasonable cost.
More reading from OlaChill:
- Learn more about renting property in Japan in A-Z Guide to Renting a Home in Japan, which covers every step from searching for a property to receiving the keys.
- Find more useful tips and guides to adapting to life in Japan on the OlaChill Blog.
- Explore travel information and Japan experiences on the OlaChill homepage.
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