A typical Japanese property purchase takes 4–8 weeks from accepted offer to registration. Cash deals can close in three weeks; heavy financing may stretch to ten.
The standard sequence
- Offer letter (買付証明書) and price negotiation.
- Important Matters Explanation (重要事項説明) by a licensed agent.
- Purchase & sale agreement plus deposit (usually 10%).
- Settlement, balance payment, and handover of keys.
- Ownership registration (登記) by the judicial scrivener.
Non-residents should add buffer time for document couriering and overseas signature certification.
