How To Check Condo Ownership In Japan
What makes a Japanese condo (mansion) unit’s registration record different from a house’s land and building records, and how to order the right one.
If you are researching a condo apartment in Japan, you will run into the word "mansion" (マンション), which is what a multi-unit condominium building is called locally. It does not mean a large house. Checking who owns a specific unit inside one of these buildings works a little differently from checking ownership of a standalone house, because the registration records are structured around individual units rather than a single land-and-building pair.
This guide explains what makes a condo unit's registration record (登記事項証明書, touki jiko shomeisho) different, how to make sure you order the record for the correct unit, and what to check once you have it. If you have not read a registration record before, start with What Is Touki In Japan for the basics, or How To Check Property Ownership In Japan for the general ownership-check workflow.
Why a condo unit's record is structured differently
Multi-unit buildings in Japan are governed by the Act on Unit Ownership of Buildings (建物の区分所有等に関する法律), which treats each individually owned unit as a separate legal property. The part you own inside the building is called the 専有部分 (senyu bubun, "exclusively owned section") — your apartment. Each unit generally has its own registration record, separate from every other unit in the building and separate from the building's shared structure.
Land is where a condo differs most from a house. The land under a condo building is not divided into a separate parcel per owner. Instead, a unit's share of the land is recorded as a 敷地権 (shikichiken, "site rights" — the unit's proportional interest in the land the building sits on), and that section is normally recorded inside the unit's own registration record, not as a standalone land record. For a house, you typically request a land record and a building record separately. For most modern condo units, requesting the unit's own record already covers both the exclusive-use section and its attached land rights, so a separate land request usually is not the way it works for one owner's share of a shared parcel. Older buildings that predate this system can register land rights differently, which is one more reason to read the record you actually receive rather than assume its structure in advance.
Finding the right unit
Because each unit is its own registered property, you need more than the building's address to request the correct record: you need the specific room number as well. The registered building number for a unit (家屋番号, kaoku bango) typically combines the building and the unit, and it is what the registry uses to identify the property — not the marketing name a listing might use.
The room number on a listing usually matches the registered unit, but not always exactly. Building name changes, sales-marketing names that differ from the registered building name, and unit renumbering after a renovation can all create a mismatch. When in doubt, confirm the room number against the listing's formal details or your agent rather than assuming the number on a property portal is the registered one.
Here is the practical workflow for checking a condo unit's ownership record, step by step:
- Confirm the building on the map. Use the building's address to locate it, the same way you would start research on a house. Our lot number search covers the underlying parcel if you need it for context.
- Get the exact room number. This is the step most likely to go wrong. Take the room number from the listing's official details or from your agent, not just a building directory or a marketing page, since those can be worded differently from the registered unit.
- Order the record for that unit. On Japan Property Research, provide the building address and the room number; the request is matched to the unit's registered building number (kaoku bango) and the record is retrieved under the building record type, the same pricing tier used for a house's building record.
- Read the land-rights section inside that record. Rather than expecting a separate land record, look for the 敷地権 entry inside the unit's registration record, which is what shows its share of the land — check there instead of ordering a second, separate land request for the same unit.
- Remember what the registry does not cover. Management fees, repair reserve fund balances, and the building's house rules are set by the condo's management association, not the property registry, so they need to be confirmed separately with the seller or agent.
The most common mistake is ordering a land record for a condo unit out of habit from house research, when the unit's own record is usually what you need. The second most common is requesting the wrong room number because a listing's marketing name does not match the registered unit exactly.
What you need to provide is the building's address and the specific room number. From there:
- Condo unit registration record: ¥1,500, billed as a building record (the same rate as a house's building record).
- Ownership Matters extract: +¥500, isolating the current owner and transfer history if you do not need the full record (included on Pro and Team plans).
- Official parcel map: +¥500, showing the registered boundary of the land the building sits on (included on Pro and Team plans).
A few honest caveats. The record reflects the registry as of the moment it is issued, so a very recent sale can lag behind what is on file. The registered owner's name and address are only as current as their last filing. And the registry answers ownership and encumbrance questions — it says nothing about the building's management, reserve fund health, or house rules, which are a separate check with the seller, agent, or management association. Our Japan property due diligence checklist covers where a condo unit's registration record fits alongside those other checks.
FAQ
What does "mansion" mean in Japanese real estate listings? A mansion (マンション) is a multi-unit condominium building, not a large private house. If a listing calls a property a mansion, it is describing an apartment inside a building with other separately owned units.
Do I need a separate land record for a condo unit? Usually no. A unit's share of the land (敷地権) is normally recorded inside the unit's own registration record, so requesting the unit's record generally covers both the unit and its attached land rights.
Can foreigners check who owns a specific condo unit in Japan? Yes. Condo unit registration records are public in the same way land and house records are; there is no nationality or residency requirement to request one.
What if the room number on the listing doesn't match the registered unit? Confirm the room number with the listing's formal details or your agent before ordering. Marketing names and building directories occasionally differ from the registered unit, especially after a renovation or renumbering.
Does the record show mortgages on a condo unit? Yes. Like land and house records, a unit's registration record discloses mortgages and other registered rights against that specific unit.
Related guides:
Confirm Japanese property ownership
See who owns a Japanese land or house before you buy
Foreign buyers can establish who legally owns a Japanese condo unit by ordering its official registration record (touki) on Japan Property Research, in English, showing the registered owner, rights, and any mortgages. Condo unit records are requested by building address and room number rather than by lot number, and are ordered for ¥1,500, delivered by email and saved to your account.
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