What Is “Land with Unidentified Owners”? 

In recent years, the issue of “land with unidentified owners” (所有権人不明土地) has emerged as a serious social problem attracting widespread attention in Japan. The term refers to land that falls into either of the following categories: ① land where the owner cannot be immediately identified even after consulting the real estate registry, or ② land where the owner has been identified, but whose whereabouts are unknown and cannot be contacted. 

 

According to a 2024 survey conducted by the Japanese government, land with unidentified owners accounts for approximately 23% of all land in Japan. The survey highlighted a range of associated problems, including delays in public works projects, obstacles to private real estate transactions, and adverse effects on surrounding areas due to inadequate land management. 

 

Causes and Countermeasures 

Under Japan’s real estate registration system, applications for the registration of ownership and other property rights (recorded in the “Rights Section” of the registry) are governed by the principle of voluntary application — meaning there is no legal obligation to register. However, failure to register does carry practical disadvantages, such as the inability to assert one’s rights against third parties. 

 

As a result, it is not uncommon for the actual state of property rights to go unrecorded in the registry. In fact, among the causes of land with unidentified owners, “incomplete inheritance registration” accounts for 63% of cases, while “incomplete address change registration” accounts for 29%. 

 

To address this situation, the Real Estate Registration Act has recently been amended, making two previously voluntary registrations — “inheritance registration” and “address/name (or corporate name) change registration” — now legally mandatory. 

 

Mandatory Inheritance Registration 

In the context of real estate inheritance, a significant problem arises when estates are passed down multiple times without completing the division of inherited assets. This leads to a cumulative increase in the number of co-owners, making it extremely time-consuming and costly to identify all owners, and rendering proper management and use of the land difficult. 

 

Under the amended law, anyone who acquires ownership of real estate through inheritance is required to apply for an inheritance-based ownership transfer registration within three years from the date they become aware of the acquisition. Similarly, where an agreement on the division of the inherited estate is reached, an application must be filed within three years from the date the agreement is concluded. Failure to apply without justifiable reason will result in a fine of up to JPY 100,000. 

 

This amendment came into effect on April 1, 2024. Inheritances that occurred prior to the effective date are also subject to the mandatory requirement, with a grace period running until March 31, 2027. 

 

Mandatory Address/Name Change Registration 

The registration of changes to an owner’s address, name, or corporate name (collectively referred to hereinafter as “address, etc.”) has also been made mandatory. Previously, neither individuals nor corporations were legally required to update their real estate registration records to reflect such changes, leaving a large amount of owner information outdated. This has been identified as a primary cause of land with unidentified owners in urban areas. 

 

Under the amended law, any change to an owner’s address, etc. must be registered within two years from the date of the change. Failure to comply without justifiable reason will result in a fine of up to JPY 50,000. This amendment is scheduled to take effect in April 2026, and changes that occurred prior to the effective date are likewise subject to the mandatory requirement, with a two-year grace period provided. 

 

In conjunction with this amendment, a new “Smart Change Registration” system has also been introduced. Under this system, individuals residing in Japan may submit advance notification of their “search information” — such as their name, address, and date of birth — while corporations with a corporate identification number may have that number added to their registration records. Once this is done, whenever an owner’s address, etc. changes, the registration will be updated automatically by the registrar acting on official authority, without the need for the owner to file a separate application each time. 

 

Anyone who currently owns real estate in Japan, or who may be involved in an inheritance in the future, is strongly encouraged to stay informed about these regulatory changes and to consult a qualified professional or the relevant Legal Affairs Bureau when necessary. 

 

Reference 

Ministry of Justice, Japan. Overview of the Partial Amendment to the Civil Code and the Act on Transfer of Inherited Land to National Treasury (accessed February 24, 2026). https://www.moj.go.jp/content/001444016.pdf