As of December 2022, Tokyo had nearly 597,000 foreign residents, making it the most popular prefecture for expats in Japan. The majority of these residents are from China, Vietnam, and South Korea. Over recent years, Tokyo has seen a steady increase in its foreign population due to its status as an international business hub and its diverse cultural offerings.
Every year, thousands of foreigners move to Tokyo, with the trend showing consistent growth due to the city’s expanding job opportunities and vibrant lifestyle.
Finding a rental room in Tokyo can be especially challenging for expats due to various factors. Here are ten key difficulties:
- Language Barrier: Many real estate listings, contracts, and interactions with landlords are conducted in Japanese, making it difficult for non-Japanese speakers to navigate the process effectively.
- High Initial Costs: Renting an apartment in Tokyo often requires significant upfront payments, including security deposits (shikikin), key money (reikin), agency fees, and the first month’s rent. These costs can be financially overwhelming for newcomers.
- Guarantor Requirement: Many landlords require a Japanese guarantor to co-sign the lease, which can be a major hurdle for expats who do not have established local contacts.
- Limited Foreign-Friendly Properties: Some landlords are hesitant to rent to foreigners due to perceived risks or communication issues, reducing the pool of available properties.
- Strict Rental Criteria: Landlords often have strict criteria regarding income levels, employment status, and visa type, which can exclude many expats, particularly those who are new to Japan or on short-term assignments.
- Short-Term Lease Options: Many rental properties require long-term commitments (typically 2 years), which can be impractical for expats on short-term stays or uncertain about their length of stay.
- Cultural Differences: Understanding and adhering to Japanese housing norms and etiquette can be challenging for expats, including expectations around noise levels, garbage disposal, and communal living.
- Small Living Spaces: Tokyo apartments tend to be smaller than those in many Western countries, which can be a significant adjustment for expats used to more spacious accommodations.
- Lack of Furnished Apartments: Many rental properties in Tokyo are unfurnished, requiring expats to purchase or rent furniture and appliances, which adds to the initial setup costs and logistical challenges.
- Limited Pet-Friendly Options: For expats with pets, finding pet-friendly accommodation can be particularly difficult, as many landlords prohibit pets or have strict regulations.
These challenges underscore the importance of seeking assistance from real estate agencies that specialize in serving the expat community and can help navigate these obstacles.
At RE/MAX de-Zay, we work together to address these challenges, helping everyone start a happy life in Tokyo. We look forward to hearing from you💌
東京では、約60万人弱の海外のexpatsが居住しており、毎年1000人規模の新規入居者があります。他方で、外国の人にとって東京での賃貸物件探しは、以下のような理由で多くの場合困難となっています。
- 言語の壁：多くの不動産リスト、契約、大家とのやり取りが日本語で行われるため、非日本語話者には困難を極めています。
- 高額な初期費用：東京での賃貸は、敷金、礼金、仲介手数料が最初の月の家賃意外にも必要であり、初期費用がかかります。これらの費用を用意することは負担が大きいと感じる要因となっています。
- 保証人の要件：日本人の保証人を必要とする場合、現地に知り合いがいない外国人にとっては障害となります。ただし近年は保証人制度が導入されています。
- 外国人向け物件の制限：外国人が借りられる物件が少ないため選択肢が限られています。
- 厳しい賃貸条件：大家は収入、雇用状況、ビザの種類に関する厳しい条件を設けており、特に新しい外国人や短期滞在者には不利です。
- 短期賃貸の選択肢：多くの賃貸物件は通常2年の長期契約を要求し、2年以内の短期滞在の外国人駐在者には不便です。
- 文化の違い：騒音、ゴミの処理、共同生活のルールなど、日本の住宅の習慣を理解する必要があります。
- 狭い居住空間：東京のアパートは西洋の基準に比べて狭く、広い住居に慣れた外国人には慣れが必要です。
- 家具なし物件の多さ：多くの賃貸物件は家具がなく、外国人は家具や家電を購入またはレンタルする必要があり、初期費用と家具調達の課題を抱えています。
- ペット可物件の制限：ペットを飼う外国人にとって、ペット可の物件を見つけるのは難しく、多くの大家がペットを禁止または厳しい規制を設けています。
これらの課題は、東京で賃貸物件を探す際に直面する主要な障害であり、外国人向けの不動産業者の支援を求める重要性を強調しています。
RE/MAX de-Zayではこれらの課題に一緒に取り組んで誰もがハッピーに暮らしをスタートできるお手伝いをしています🩵
ご連絡お待ちしています💌
