Unlike a full-time working professional, the documents needed by the landlord and the landlord's guarantor company will be slightly different.
Here is a list of the documents you will need to gather together before you start the process of looking for your own apartment:
1. Residency certificate (住民票・ジュウミンヒョウ)
The residency certificate must be issued within 90 days of the day you submit a copy with your rental apartment application documents. The cost at Yokohama will be about ¥300. In addition, residency certificates can be picked up at any ward office or at the annex offices located in Yokohama Station or Shin-Yokohama Station. If you need help filling out the application form to request a copy of your residency certificate, please schedule an appointment with our Bashamichi Room staff and we will go to the counter with you.
2. School admission letter
The letter will need to be on the schools letterhead. A hard copy of the original or a high-resolution PDF copy is best. Please don't use a jpeg copy of the letter since it will become too pixelated when printed out on A4 and faxed with your other documents to the guarantor company.
3. Proof of income
Various documents that will suffice include a copy of your savings account balance, copy of documents from the governmental organization providing financial support for overseas studies, copy of savings account balance of parent/guardian who might be providing financial support. If you are are working part-time in Japan, be sure to provide copies of the your last three pay statements.
Here is a list of the items you will need to provide or have ready:
1. Residency card
The card must show your current address of your dorm, share house, etc., and should match with the address you have on your residency certificate.
2. Insurance card
Copies of both the front and reverse sides will be required.
3. Passport
A copy of your identification page will be required.
4. Japanese savings account
Your rent will most likely be automatically debited from your Japanese bank account. You cannot pay rent for a standard rental with a credit card.
5. Japanese cell phone number
In addition to needing a cell phone number to open a bank account, the guarantor company is who will conduct the tenant screening process on behalf of the landlord. They will call you from a call center using landlines. Therefore, you CANNOT use an app such as Line, WhatsApp, etc. for voice calls since office landlines have no way to connect an app for cell phones.
In addition, the guarantor company will call you from an unknown number at an unknown time. Part of their screening process includes verification of how easily and quickly they can reach you at their first attempt. If they cannot easily and quickly reach you, they may give you a lower score which will hurt your ability to pass tenant screening.
Cell phone contracts with voice can be expensive, so it is best to rent a cheap flip phone or rent a SIM card that you can use with your current phone. If you have not arrived in Japan yet, it is easier to make a contract for a phone or SIM card BEFORE you arrive in Japan. There are a number of low-cost options that you can take advantage if you search online. For example, the following service providers seem to have good low-cost options for students:
Please bear in mind that if you are still overseas, it is highly recommended that you apply for a SIM card BEFORE you arrive in Japan. Applying from overseas online is much, much easier than trying to get your number after you have already arrived in Japan. There are cases where the mobile service provider will require a Japanese bank account before allowing you to sign a contract for cell phone service. But the bank will require a cell phone number before opening an account, which creates a circle of headaches.
6. Hanko Stamp
Although the Japanese government is slowly trying to digitize many processes, your contract for a lease will be with a Japanese landlord who is most likely an older Japanese person who places great emphasis on processes and procedures that have served them well for decades. This means that you will still need to get a hanko stamp. Our staff can take you to a budget hanko shop and have one prepared for you within a couple of hours for less than ¥5,000 yen.
Also, if you use the hanko stamp as your signature when opening a bank account, it will be incredibly easier for you to set up automatic debiting of your utility bills. Each hanko stamp is crafted individually and is unique, much like a fingerprint. It is static and will not change. So, if you use the hanko stamp on your auto-debit applications for utilities, cell phone bills, Internet bills, etc., the bank can quickly confirm your identity and process your applications with no problems.
Conversely, a signature is not static and can change every so slightly over time depending on many various factors. If you use a signature on auto-debit applications, you run the risk of your applications being rejected by the bank if your signature does not match exactly with the signature kept on file at the bank. Basically, adulting in Japan is easiest if you have a hanko stamp.
7. Emergency Contact Person
The guarantor company will require that you submit the name, address, email, and telephone number of a Japanese person (sometimes a Japanese-speaking foreigner may be accepted) who will be your emergency contact in case the landlord needs to contact you and your are unable to answer your phone due to being hospitalized, on vacation, etc.
In addition, the guarantor company will want to know that you have assimilated into Japanese society and can meet all of the same basic requirements that they require of Japanese applicants. Therefore, it is important that once you start your studies in Japan that you make an effort to associate with other Japanese and avoid only hanging out with other foreigners speaking in your native tongue. Make an effort to volunteer in your community, socialize and interact with the locals and develop relationships with local Japanese. You can join a sports group, traditional arts group, etc. to help you find Japanese to associate with. This will greatly enhance your ability to improve your language skills and will be helpful when you need to ask someone to be your emergency contact.
If you run into any barriers or need help or advice, please contact the staff at Bashamichi Room Annex for help. We want you to have a positive, fulfilling experience while living in Japan. We are more than happy to assist you with any matter beyond just finding an apartment. Contact us here!
Bashamichi Room Annex
045-663-2208
Email: robert@basyamichijisyo.com
Yokohama, Japan
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