Building registry record | NEEDS Property Research

When researching Japanese property, the term “building registry record” is often used loosely. In official practice, there is no single “building registry” separate from the land register. What exists is a layered system of land registration, building registration, and municipal building-administration files.

What the building registry record is

In Japanese real estate, the word 登記 (tōki) means registration. The official record is maintained by the Legal Affairs Bureau (法務局), not by a private company or a central national database. For a typical property, two separate registration records exist: one for the land (土地登記記録) and one for the building (建物登記記録). The building record is the official document that identifies the building as a legal object, separate from the land on which it stands.

The building registry record is part of the larger 不動産登記 (real estate registration) system. It is maintained at the Local Legal Affairs Bureau (法務局) that has jurisdiction over the property’s location. The record is parcel-based, meaning each building has its own entry in the register for the land parcel where it sits. No single national database combines land, building, and planning information into one record.

What the record contains

The building register (建物登記記録) is divided into sections. The key sections are:

Identification (表示部). Shows the building’s location, land parcel reference, building type, construction material, floor area, and the date of registration. The floor area is recorded as the total floor area and, where applicable, the breakdown by floor.
Ownership (甲区). Lists the owner, the acquisition date, and the acquisition cause (e.g., purchase, inheritance). It also shows the current owner’s address as registered.
Rights (乙区). Records mortgages, liens, leaseholds, and other encumbrances that affect the property. A registered lease (借地権 or 借家権) may appear here, but many tenancy agreements are not registered.

The registry record is not a building passport. It is a legal title record tied to the land parcel, and it may not reflect the actual structure standing on the site.

Structure and floor fields in the building register

The building registry record (建物登記記録, tatemono tōki kiroku) is the portion of the Japanese land register that describes a building as a separate real-estate object. It is maintained by the Legal Affairs Bureau (法務局) for each jurisdiction. The record is divided into a header (表題部) and rights sections (権利部), and it is legally separate from the land registry record for the parcel on which the building stands.

The header section of a building registration record contains the building’s identity and physical description:

Location of the building (所在)
Building name, if any
Use (用途), e.g., residence, shop, office
Construction type (構造), e.g., wood, steel-reinforced concrete
Floor area (床面積), the total floor area, usually shown in square metres
Ground floor area (1階の床面積) and upper-floor areas
Reason for registration (原因)
Date of registration (登記の日付)
Land parcel reference (所在)

The construction field records the main material and type, such as “木造2階建” (two-storey wooden) or “鉄筋コンクリート造陸屋根3階建” (reinforced-concrete, flat roof, three-storey). The floor field records the total floor area per storey, not necessarily the gross floor area used for zoning calculations. The cadastral parcel number links the building record to the land register entry, but the building record itself is a separate file from the land record.

Floor fields list above-ground and below-ground storeys. A discrepancy between the register and the actual building often signals an unregistered extension. Construction fields record the main material (e.g., wood, steel-reinforced concrete), the building’s category (e.g., residential, shop, warehouse), and the completion date. The rights section lists ownership, mortgages, and any other registered interests. The building identification number (家屋番号) is distinct from the parcel number and is assigned by the registry office, not by the municipality.

Unregistered buildings and unregistered changes

A building registry record is only as current as the last registration. Japanese law requires registration when ownership changes, but it does not require registration of every physical change. In practice, a building may have been extended, partially demolished, or internally subdivided without any update to the registry. The fixed-asset tax register (固定資産税台帳) maintained by the municipality often reflects physical changes more promptly than the land register, because tax reassessment triggers an update. For due diligence, compare the building register entry with the fixed-asset tax record, the building confirmation application, and an on-site inspection. Discrepancies between the register and the actual structure are common in older buildings, especially for unregistered extensions or conversions.

A building may exist in reality but have no current registry record, or the registry may show a building that has been demolished or altered. This happens when the owner never filed a new-building registration, when a demolition was not recorded, or when an extension was built without the required confirmation application. The absence of a building record is not proof that a structure does not exist. The fixed asset tax register, municipal building files, and aerial photographs are independent sources that can show the physical reality. The key comparison is between the land register’s description of improvements, the fixed asset tax register’s building ledger, and the actual site condition. When these three disagree, the discrepancy itself is the finding. Document it rather than assume which record is correct.

Buildings in Japan are not always re-registered after renovation, demolition, or partial changes. A building may appear on the land register as a single structure while the actual site contains a different footprint or a newer annex. The cadastral map shows land parcels, not buildings. A change in the building’s shape, floor count, or use may not be reflected in the register if no one filed the required application. The Building Standards Act (建築基準法) requires confirmation for new construction and major alterations, but the registration of that change is a separate step under the Real Property Registration Act. The practical consequence for due diligence is that the registered building record can be years out of date. Compare the register against the fixed asset tax register (固定資産税台帳), the municipal building confirmation file, and a physical inspection.

Identifiers across the system

The land register identifies a parcel by prefecture, city/ward, district, and parcel number (地番). A building is separately identified by a building number (家屋番号) in the building register. The cadastral map shows parcel boundaries but does not show building footprints or floor plans. The fixed-asset tax register is maintained separately by the municipality and may list building details that differ from the land register.

How to compare the registry record with the site

The building registry record is the portion of the land register (不動産登記簿) that describes improvements on a parcel. The building section (建物表示) records the building’s location, construction type, floor area, and the reason for registration. The land section (土地表示) records the parcel itself. A building’s floor count is recorded in the “construction and floor” field, which lists the building’s construction type (e.g., wood, steel-reinforced concrete) and the number of floors above and below ground. Floor area is recorded in square metres and may be split into the total floor area and the floor area by use, such as residential versus commercial. The record also shows the date of the building’s creation, the cause of registration (e.g., new construction, transfer), and the name and address of the owner.

Step-by-step comparison checklist

Obtain the current building register entry from the Legal Affairs Bureau.
Obtain the fixed-asset tax register entry from the municipal tax office.
Request the building confirmation application and completion certificate from the municipal building department.
Visit the site or commission a site inspection with photographs.
Compare the floor count on the register with the visible storeys on site.
Compare the registered floor area with the tax record and any visible extensions.
Check whether the building use on the register matches the actual use (e.g., registered as residence but operating as a shop).
Note any outbuildings, annexes, or roof additions that do not appear in the register.
If the building register shows a structure that no longer exists, confirm demolition records with the municipality.
Document every discrepancy in a findings log with the source of each piece of information.

Practical steps for finding the record

The building register is not freely searchable online by the public. To obtain a copy, follow these steps:

Identify the property’s land parcel number (地番) from the cadastral map or a previous transaction document. The parcel number is different from the street address.
Visit the Legal Affairs Bureau (法務局) that has jurisdiction over the property’s location. Some bureaux allow postal requests.
Submit a request form for the building register (建物登記記録) and pay the fee (typically a few hundred yen per page).
If you cannot visit in person, engage a licensed judicial scrivener (司法書士) or a local property researcher to obtain the record on your behalf.
Request the land register (土地登記記録) at the same time. The two records are separate and must be ordered individually.
For a full picture, also request the cadastral map (地図) for the parcel.

When a building registry record is not enough

The building register proves legal title to the structure and records registered encumbrances. It does not prove that the structure complies with the Building Standards Act, that it has a valid building confirmation, or that it meets current seismic standards. For those questions, you need additional records from the municipality and, in many cases, a qualified building surveyor or structural engineer.

The record also does not show unregistered tenancies, informal family arrangements, or boundary disputes. A site with no building register entry may still have a taxable structure recorded in the fixed-asset tax ledger. A building register entry that shows an old wooden house may not reflect a modern steel-frame extension added without permits. Treat the building register as one piece of evidence among several. When the register, the tax record, and the physical site disagree, the physical site is the reality a buyer inherits.

Records to request alongside the building register

Fixed-asset tax register (固定資産税台帳) from the municipal tax office
Building confirmation application (建築確認申請書) and completion certificate (検査済証) from the municipal building department
Cadastral map (地図) from the Legal Affairs Bureau
City planning map (都市計画図) from the municipal planning department
Hazard map (ハザードマップ) from the municipal disaster prevention office
Any available violation notices or administrative guidance records from the building department

Related research guides

Japanese land register explained
Fixed-asset tax records for property due diligence
Reading a Japanese cadastral map
Building confirmation and the Building Standards Act
Unregistered structures and demolition records

Sources

Legal Affairs Bureau (法務局), official land register and cadastral maps
e-Gov Japan (e-Gov), statutes, cabinet orders, ministerial ordinances
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT)
Japan Real Estate Institute (JREI)
Local government planning departments