Guide · 2026-10-29

Akiya Bank Residency Requirement in Japan: Do You Have to Live in the House? (2026)

Direct answer: Often yes, but it depends on the municipality. There is no single national rule that says "you must live in an akiya bank house". Each town writes its own conditions, and many ask the buyer or renter to register their address there and live in the house for a set number of years. Separate subsidies, such as the national relocation support money (移住支援金), add their own multi-year residency conditions, and moving out early can mean repaying money. For foreign buyers the practical question is less nationality and more residence status: can you legally live there long enough to meet the condition? Confirm every point with the town office in writing.

What the official data says

• The national akiya bank is a search portal, not a rule-maker. MLIT's akiya / akichi bank information page says the 全国版空き家・空き地バンク is operated independently by two companies, LIFULL and at home, selected through a public call; full operation began in April 2018. MLIT says it is not normally involved in day-to-day operations. So the conditions you see on a listing come from the municipality, not from the portal or the national government.
• The relocation support money has a 5-year intent condition. The Cabinet Office's relocation support money page lists up to ¥600,000 for a single person (set by the prefecture) and up to ¥1,000,000 for a household, plus up to ¥1,000,000 per child under 18 who moves with the household. Among the conditions: apply within one year of moving in, and intend to keep living in the destination municipality for at least five years after applying. The same page describes a repayment system, with moving out within five years of the application and false applications given as examples. It also requires having lived in or commuted to Tokyo's 23 wards, or the Tokyo metropolitan area, for a total of five or more years in the ten years before moving, plus an employment or business condition. The page itself does not mention nationality; details vary by municipality, so check the destination town.
• Address registration is a legal step for residents. The Immigration Services Agency's residence change notification page says a medium- to long-term resident must notify the municipal office within 14 days of moving to a new address, and that taking the residence card to the municipal window for the resident-registration notification counts as that notification.

For a broader walkthrough of typical akiya bank conditions, see Akiya Bank Conditions for Foreigners.

The 3 things buyers miss

1. The residency condition lives in three different places

A buyer can face up to three separate residency clocks: the akiya bank's own rule (for example, register your address within N years and live there N years), the renovation or purchase subsidy's rule (often a minimum period of residence), and the relocation support money's five-year intent condition. They have different start dates, different wording, and different penalties. Do not assume one answer covers the other two. Ask each office for its requirements page or 要綱 (rules) and compare them side by side.

2. Early exit can mean repayment, and the terms differ by town

The Cabinet Office page describes repayment of the relocation support money as part of the scheme. Municipal subsidies for purchase or renovation commonly carry their own return clauses (補助金の返還), but the length of the period, the amount, and the exceptions (such as job transfer or illness) are set locally. Ask exactly which events count as "moving out", what happens if you rent the house to someone else, and whether a residence you keep but use only part of the year counts as living there. Do not rely on a summary written for another town.

3. Residence status has to fit the timeline

A multi-year residency condition assumes you can lawfully stay for that period. Residence status and renewal are decided by the Immigration Services Agency, not by the town or the seller. Owning a house does not by itself create a residence status; see Does buying a house in Japan give you a visa?. If your status has a short renewal cycle or ends before the condition would, raise it with the town office before you sign, and ask an administrative scrivener or immigration lawyer about your own case.

Typical wording, and what it means

• 「購入後◯年以内に住民登録し、◯年以上居住すること」: register as a resident within N years of purchase and live there N years or more.
• 「申請者本人及び同居する者が居住すること」: the applicant and household members must live there; ask whether a second home or occasional-use house qualifies.
• 「転出した場合は補助金を返還」: if you move out, you return the subsidy; ask for the exact period and amount rule.
• 「賃貸の場合」: some banks accept a rental with the same living requirement; renting first can be a way to test a town before buying.

Costs: what a failed residency condition can add

Amounts are set municipality by municipality, so treat these as categories, not prices. Possible exposure: a returned relocation or renovation subsidy (for relocation support money, the Cabinet Office page lists up to ¥600,000 single, ¥1,000,000 household, plus up to ¥1,000,000 per child), the cost of a house you cannot use as intended, and the usual ongoing costs of holding it. Our guide to managing an akiya from overseas covers why leaving a house unused has its own legal and tax risks. Remember too that a repayment clause is only one risk; building condition, hazards and zoning decide whether you can live there at all.

Checklist: before you apply

• Get the municipality's akiya bank rules (利用要綱) and read the residency clause, including the number of years and the start date.
• Ask whether foreign residents may apply, and which residence statuses the town has accepted before; ask in writing.
• List every subsidy you plan to use, and get each one's residency period and repayment terms separately.
• Ask what counts as "living there" and what counts as moving out (job transfer, care facility, long trips abroad).
• Compare your residence status's validity and renewal timing with the required period.
• Ask whether renting, short-term rental or resale is restricted during the period.
• Confirm the house is livable: rebuilding limits, hazard exposure, septic tank, road access.
• Keep the town's replies as emails or PDFs before paying a deposit.

FAQ

Do you have to live in an akiya bank house?

Often, but not always. Each municipality writes its own rules. Many require registering as a resident and living there for a set period; some have no such condition. Ask the akiya bank contact in writing.

Is the 5-year rule in the national relocation support money the same as an akiya bank rule?

No. It is a separate scheme. The Cabinet Office page requires intent to live in the destination municipality for five years after applying, with repayment in cases such as moving out within five years. An akiya bank can have different conditions, and the two are not automatically linked.

Can a foreigner meet an akiya bank residency requirement?

Nationality is usually not the issue; residence status is. Whether your status and its renewal period fit a multi-year condition is a question for the town office and the Immigration Services Agency.

This guide is general information based on public sources cited above (as read on 2026-10-29). It is information only, not legal, tax, immigration, or real-estate brokerage advice. Rules differ by municipality and change; confirm every item for a specific property with the agent, the municipality, the Immigration Services Agency, and licensed professionals.