Land registry record

The Japanese land registry record (登記簿, tōkibo) is the official, parcel-level record of ownership and legal interests in real estate. It is maintained by the Legal Affairs Bureau (法務局) for each jurisdiction, and it is not a single national database. The sections below explain the fields you will encounter, how ownership and encumbrance information is recorded, how to retrieve records, and how to interpret them for property due diligence and redevelopment planning.

How the parcel-based record is structured

Japanese land records are built around the parcel, not the owner. Each parcel (筆) has a separate folio, and the folio is divided into three sections.

Section 1: Land identification (表題部, hyōdaibu)

This section identifies the land itself: location, lot number, land category, and recorded area. It does not prove who holds title.

Section 2: Ownership (甲区, kōku)

This section lists the owner or co-owners, their addresses, and the cause of entry (sale, inheritance, gift). For a co-owned parcel, each person’s share appears as a fraction.

Section 3: Encumbrances (乙区)

This section records rights other than ownership: mortgages, easements, leaseholds, and other restrictions. A parcel may carry multiple entries. Even a dormant mortgage requires formal release before the property can be transferred.

The Legal Affairs Bureau (法務局) for the jurisdiction where the property sits maintains the record. Each parcel carries a land registration number (地番) tied to the cadastral map, but the two are separate records. The cadastral map shows the parcel boundary; the land folio shows the legal rights attached to that parcel. A discrepancy between them is common and must be resolved by a licensed land and building surveyor (土地家屋調査士).

What a land registry record contains

The official record is called the 登記簿 (tōkibo). It is divided into three sections.

1. Header (表題部) identifies the parcel: land location, land number (地番), land type (地目), and recorded area (地積). The header does not prove title.
2. Ownership section (甲区) lists the title holder, acquisition cause, and the date of entry. For a co-owned parcel, each person’s share is shown as a fraction.
3. Encumbrances section (乙区) lists mortgages, easements, leasehold rights, and other restrictions. A parcel may have multiple entries, and a dormant mortgage still requires formal release before transfer.

The record is held at the Legal Affairs Bureau (法務局) that has jurisdiction over the parcel’s location. Each parcel has a land number (地番) and is recorded in a folio (登記記録) with its own unique land register ID (不動産番号). The cadastral map (地図) is a separate official record that shows boundaries and dimensions; it is not part of the folio text. In many urban areas, the cadastral map has been digitised, but the folio and map are maintained as distinct records and may contain inconsistencies.

How to retrieve a record

The official registry is maintained by the Legal Affairs Bureau (法務局). Anyone can request a copy of the folio (登記事項証明書) at the bureau counter, by mail, or through the online registration information provision system. The online system covers most parcels, but not all; some older or rural records require a visit to the local bureau.

A certified copy of the folio is the primary evidence of title and encumbrances. A “registration information” certificate (登記事項証明書) is different from a “cadastral map” (地図), even though both are maintained by the same bureau. Request the certificate first, then cross-check the cadastral map separately.

What to do before you order

• Confirm the exact land number (地番) from a tax notice, a previous contract, or a map. The address alone is often not enough.
• Check whether the parcel falls within an area covered by the online system. If it does not, prepare a written request for the local bureau.
• Decide whether you need a certified copy (for contracts, court, or financing) or an uncertified printout (for preliminary research).

How to read the record against other documents

The land folio is organised by parcel. The first section identifies the parcel (location, land type, area), the second section identifies the title holder and acquisition cause, and the third section lists encumbrances such as mortgages, easements, and leaseholds.

The cadastral map shows the physical boundaries of each parcel and is not automatically updated when title changes. Boundary errors are common; a licensed land and building surveyor (土地家屋調査士) must conduct a boundary survey if the parcel edges are disputed or if the map and folio disagree.

The fixed-asset tax register (固定資産税台帳) is a municipal record used for tax assessment, not for proving title. It may list a different name than the land folio if a transfer was never recorded at the bureau. Treat the tax register as a clue, never as proof.

Title transfers take legal effect between the parties at contract, but are not opposable to third parties until the entry is completed at the Legal Affairs Bureau. The entry itself is not proof of title against a prior unregistered claim; it is a public notice mechanism.

Inheritance, leaseholds, and redevelopment checks

Tracing inheritance chains

The koseki (family registry) is the primary route for tracing inheritance chains, because the land folio records deceased owners but does not show heirs. Obtain the koseki from the municipality where the deceased’s registered domicile was located, then match each generation to the folio entries.

Leasehold protections

Under the Land and Building Leases Act (借地借家法), lease terms are generally protected. A registered lease term is not necessarily the effective term after renewal rights are applied. Eviction requires just cause under Article 28, and tenants in registered leases may claim relocation costs under the Urban Redevelopment Act.

Redevelopment document checklist

For redevelopment, gather these documents early:

• The building confirmation application (建築確認申請)
• The urban planning map (都市計画図)
• The redevelopment promotion area designation

The Building Standards Act and the Urban Redevelopment Act set the legal framework. The 1981 seismic code revision is a key threshold for structural assessments. A 2002 MLIT guideline (国土交通省, 2002) recommends that redevelopment project plans set a target of no forced eviction of tenants without alternative accommodation or compensation.

Jurisdictional fragmentation and valuation data

Legal Affairs Bureaus (法務局) maintain the land folio and cadastral maps, but records are fragmented. A single property may be recorded in one bureau while its cadastral map is held in a different district, and the two may not align. When a parcel straddles a bureau boundary, start by querying both offices with the land number.

Official land prices (公示地価) are published annually by MLIT. The Japan Real Estate Institute publishes the monthly Chika Kouji (地価公示) index and the Urban Land Price Index. Fixed-asset tax valuations are set by municipalities under the Local Tax Act and are typically 50-70% of market price (MLIT, 2023, public explanation of valuation ratios). Use the tax valuation as a floor check, not as a market-price substitute.

Digital access and the paper-origin system

Since the 2020 enforcement of the new Civil Code, digital applications for registration have become standard, but the register itself remains a paper-origin system that has been progressively digitised. When a digital copy and a paper copy conflict, the paper record at the bureau controls. For high-value transactions, always inspect the paper original or a certified copy issued directly by the bureau.