How to verify a Japanese real-estate agent's license — and the legal fee cap
Overseas buyers regularly pay unlicensed "akiya facilitators" several thousand dollars for a purchase that a licensed agent could broker for a legally capped commission — on a ¥8,000,000-or-less property, that cap is ¥330,000 including tax. Two checks close that gap.
1. Check the license number (宅建業免許番号)
Anyone brokering real estate for a fee in Japan must hold a takken license (宅地建物取引業免許). The license line looks like 国土交通大臣(2)第XXXX号 or 東京都知事(5)第XXXX号 — the number in parentheses counts 5-year renewals, so higher means longer in business. Ask for it, then confirm it in the national register (建設業者・宅建業者等企業情報検索システム) run by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. No license number = they may not legally broker your purchase at all, and none of the protections below apply.
2. Check the fee against the legal cap
The commission cap for a buyer, set by ministerial notice under the Brokerage Act:
| Price band | Cap (before 10% consumption tax) |
|---|---|
| Up to ¥2,000,000 | 5% of price |
| ¥2,000,001 – ¥4,000,000 | 4% + ¥20,000 |
| Over ¥4,000,000 | 3% + ¥60,000 |
| Low-cost akiya special (price ≤ ¥8,000,000) | Up to ¥300,000 (= ¥330,000 with tax) — requires your prior agreement |
Two implications for akiya buyers: a licensed agent may legitimately ask the special ¥330,000 on a cheap house (that is lawful, and often the only way the deal is worth their time) — and any "support fee" of several thousand dollars from someone without a license sits entirely outside this system.
Run your property through the Deal-Breaker Check — question 6 covers exactly this, and your answer feeds the question list you take to the agent.
Educational information, not legal advice. Rules current as of FY2026 and re-verified before publication; the register interface is Japanese-only — the guide with screenshots is planned.