Which Documents Do You Need to Prepare Before Buying a Property in Japan?

Preparing identity documents for a property purchase in Japan can feel exacting, especially when you are working across different naming conventions, address formats, and document systems.

The task becomes easier once you know what the Purchase Readiness tool is checking. Each person who may appear on the property title needs a complete set of identity and address documents.

Follow the instructions shown in the AkiyaHub Message Center. These documents must be:

• current

• readable,

• consistent across all documents

This guide follows the Purchase Readiness workflow in the same order you will see it on screen. It explains what to gather, what to check before uploading, and what to do when one of your documents does not fit the examples.

Requirements can vary by transaction and by the judicial scrivener handling the ownership registration. Use the current template and upload instructions in your Purchase Readiness page as the final reference.

Setting Up Your Dashboard: Defining the Title

Inside the AkiyaHub Message Center, navigating the Purchase Readiness section starts with a foundational step. You must define who is buying the property before the system can show you what to upload. Japanese property deeds require a complete, independent set of documentation for every individual who will hold legal ownership.

For buyers, this means your first move happens in the dashboard interface before heading to a notary office.

Use Your Passport as the Name Reference

Your passport is the main identity reference for the Purchase Readiness process. Enter your legal name as it appears there, including any middle name or initial shown on the passport.

Supporting documents do not always follow the same naming format. A bank statement may omit a middle name, or a local ID may place the family name first. Do not edit a document or assume the difference will be accepted.

For buyers, this means checking every document against the passport before uploading it. If the spelling, name order, or level of detail differs, upload the accurate document and message the team with a short explanation. They can confirm whether the document is suitable or whether another record is needed.

How to Prepare Each Document

📋 1. Notarized Affidavit

The notarized affidavit provides a formal record of your identity and current address for the transaction.

Overseas buyers may not have a Japanese certificate of residence (住民票 · jūminhyō).
The affidavit template in Purchase Readiness gives the judicial scrivener the identity and address information needed for your document set.

For buyers, this means downloading the current template, completing it carefully, and following the notarization method shown in Purchase Readiness.

• 🚫 Do not use remote notarization. It requires an in-person notary. Sign the affidavit in the physical presence of an authorized notary.

• ⚠️ Take note of timing. Affidavits and supporting documents may need to fall within a required validity period at contract or closing, generally within 6 months of sharing this with the judicial scrivener.

🛂 2. Passport

Your valid passport is the main identity document used in the Purchase Readiness process.

Upload the photo page from a current, unexpired passport. The name shown there acts as the main reference when the team and transaction professionals review the rest of your document set.

• What's Accepted: Passport photo page.

• Name Reference: Compare the spelling, order, and included names against your other documents. If another document presents your name differently, upload the accurate record and explain the difference to the team.

🆔 3. Second Photo ID

Purchase Readiness asks for a second government-issued photo ID as part of the identity review.

Compare the name on this document with your passport. A missing middle name, abbreviated name, or different name order does not mean you should alter the document.
Upload the accurate ID and message the team so they can confirm whether it is suitable.

• What's Accepted: Driver's license, national ID, residence permit, or another government photo ID accepted by the tool.

• The Double-Sided Rule: Upload both the front and back of a card-style ID when requested, even if the reverse appears blank.

🏠 4. Proof of Address

Your proof of address confirms the current residential address used in your transaction documents.
If your driver's license has your current residential address and was uploaded, you can skip this step.

The address should align with the address stated on your notarized affidavit.
If the formatting differs, or if another document still shows a former address, message the team before assuming it will be accepted.

• What's Accepted: Driver's license, utility bill, bank statement, government letter, or government ID with an address, subject to the current options shown in Purchase Readiness.

• The Card Rule: If you use a card-style photo ID as proof of address, upload both the front and back when requested.

When One ID Can Meet Two Requirements

You may be able to use one document for both your second photo ID and proof of address.

If your government-issued photo ID clearly shows your current residential address, upload both sides in the Second Photo ID section. Then select the option beneath the upload field confirming that the ID displays your current address.

Use this option only when the address is current and fully visible. If the address is outdated, incomplete, or formatted differently from your affidavit, message the team for guidance.

What If Your Documents Do Not Match?

Real documents are not always consistent. A utility provider may omit a middle name. A driver's license may show an old address. A local ID may use a different name order from your passport.

Do not alter the document yourself or assume the difference will be accepted. Upload the documents that accurately reflect your current records, then message the AkiyaHub team with a short explanation of the mismatch. The team can confirm whether another document, an updated record, a translation, or guidance from the judicial scrivener is needed.

Security, Privacy, and Getting Help

Your Purchase Readiness documents contain sensitive identity information.
Upload them through the designated AkiyaHub tool rather than sending them through an unapproved channel.

The documents may need to be reviewed by AkiyaHub and relevant transaction professionals, such as the judicial scrivener handling the ownership registration. For details about storage, access, and data handling, refer to AkiyaHub's current privacy policy.

If you do not have every document ready, upload the files you do have and message the team about what is missing or unclear. They can help you identify the next practical step before you pay for a replacement, translation, or notarization.

Quick Reference Summary

Accepted documents and upload rules may change or vary by transaction. Treat the current Purchase Readiness page as the final source for file types, size limits, document age, and any additional instructions.

Your Next Step

Open Purchase Readiness in the Message Center and add every person who may appear on the title. Download the current affidavit template, then gather one document set for each proposed owner.

Before uploading, compare each file with the passport and check the address, validity date, required pages, and image quality. Keep the original notarized affidavit safe if the instructions say it must later be mailed to Japan.

You do not need to force an unusual document into a standard category. If something does not fit the examples, upload what you have and message the team with the specific difference. Confirming it early gives you more room to obtain a replacement or supporting document if one is needed.

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