Information Series "Foreign Students Survival Guide" - No. 01. Prepared for the benefit of all foreign students in Japan.
By: Johannes Widodo (e-mail: johannes@kappa.iis.u-tokyo.ac.jp)
Finding a house can be the most difficult task for foreign students living in Japan. The problem becomes even worse if our family is living with us here, and we should stay in Japan for more than two years. For them who has a golden opportunity to live in a special dormitory (such as the Foreign Student Houses managed by AIEJ, or the university dormitory), still they will face similar problems when the limited period of stay expires. Since the supply of such dormitory is very limited compared to the demand, the possibility for an extension period of stay will be very small, if not almost impossible.
Faced to this problem, the most common approach is using a housing agent service (fudosan). As you have already known, we should be prepared its consequences, such as to spend an enormous amount of money in addition to the basic monthly rent for the gratitude money, commission, deposit, first month rent, etc. The problem will become worse if we should face the reluctance of the house owner or the agent to deal with foreigners (gaijin). Moreover he housing rent in the private sector in Japan is very expensive, especially those with nice location and good building quality.
Sometimes it still possible to find a good house owner with full understanding of gaijin's problem, and provide us with a decent space for a reasonable rent without excessive key money. But this is really a rare case and only applies to a certain lucky individual.
One possibility which has not yet fully pursued by foreign students is the public housing, provided by the Public Housing Corporation of Japan, known as "Kodan-jutaku". On the other hand there are also public housings managed by the Tokyo Metropolitan government, known as "Toei-jutaku". Since the city managed housing is very limited, then the nationally managed housing gives more opportunity to us.
In "Kodan-jutaku", besides the monthly rent, we should only pay a deposit valued 3 times of the basic rent just before we move in. This deposit is refundable fully or partially when we move out. To obtain the right to occupy a vacant unit in a large housing complex (Danchi), we should meet certain requirements and follow a lottery. Complete information concerning the Kodan-jutakucan be obtained directly from Jutaku Toshi Seibi Kodan - Jutaku Boshu Centre. For Tokyo Metropolitan area, you may contact one of the following addresses:
There are also several sub-offices in Yokohama (045-3122651), Omiya (048-6492277), Tsudanuma (0474-783711), and Matsudo (0473-675221). Information by telephone can be obtained too from 03-32362600, 03-32362700, and 03-33474375. (I'll add location maps of these centres later ....., sorry).
These offices manage many large housing complexes in Tokyo Metropolitan area, Saitama prefecture, Chiba prefecture, Kanagawa prefecture, and Ibaraki prefecture. They can provide us with complete list of available housings, its locations and accessibility, rent, and any other information, free of charge. The lottery (one or twice a month) is performed in these offices and some other centers in Chiba and Saitama prefectures. Feel free to come and ask guidance from the friendly staffs there. If you could not communicate at all in simple Nihonggo, bring along somebody who can help you to understand their explanation!
On your first visit, tell them about your status (school, jobs, sponsor, family, etc.), your regular monthly income (scholarships, part time jobs, possible housing subsidy, etc.), and your preferred locations. Based on that information, they will help you to generate several alternatives. They will also tell you the lottery date and procedures. As a general rule, the basic monthly rent of your choice minus your housing subsidy (if any) should not exceed 25% of your total monthly income. You should be able to provide certification for these incomes.
For example, if you are a Monbusho student with 180.000 Yen/month scholarship, and have additional (regular) income from part time job about 80.000 Yen/month, and you will be able to receive a housing subsidy 12.000 Yen/month (inside Tokyo and Kanagawa) or 9.000 Yen/month (outside Tokyo and Kanagawa), then the maximum rent will be:
In case you have no other income other than your scholarship and your housing subsidy, then your maximum rent will be: 57.000 Yen/month (inside Tokyo and Kanagawa), or 53.000 Yen/month (outside Tokyo and Kanagawa).
For your estimation, consider the following examples:
If you decided to follow the lottery, then ask and fill the application forms. You should obtain the Alien Registration Certificate of all your family members, the sponsor letter (from the grant foundation, or from the International Center of your school), the income certificates from your part-time job employers, and your personal stamp (hanko) certificate. You should have a legal (registered) personal stamp beforehand. Everything should be ready on the day of the lottery, since uncompleted documents could become a reason to cancel your right if you happened to win the lottery!
The list of available housing units in all locations will be displayed in those offices one day before the lottery. You may check it by yourself, or call them (but their phone will be extremely busy during this time). If you find a suitable choice, then you should come again for the lottery on the following day.
Normally the lottery will be started at 9:30 am sharp. It is not necessary to come few hours ahead, since the office will be opened at 9:30. Between 9:30 until 10:00 coupons to determine your turn to take the real lottery number will be distributed. You should write down your name, the housing location (one only), and the dwelling type of your choice on the coupon. The number on the coupon is not your lottery number, and will not affected your chance to win. But the truth is, if you are the last person to take the lottery number, then your chance to get the "good number" will be minimalized.
At 10:00 sharp, the late comers cannot join that day lottery anymore. Everybody should queue according to the number of his coupon, submit your documents, and one by one take a lottery number from a closed box. This number will be written on your coupon and will be inputted into the main computer. The "good numbers" is the small numbers, since the winner of the lottery will be decided according to a group with smallest lottery numbers for a certain housing location. It is difficult to say which is the best number, since it will depend very much on the available housing units on a certain location, and the number of participant who put their choice on that location. Well, if you happened to get number "1" , then you are certainly one of the winner!
Within about 30 minutes you will know whether you win or lose. The winner's documents will be checked promptly, and the others will be returned right away (with notification about the date of the next lottery). It is still possible that you should add or change certain documents within a limited period of time, or otherwise your right will be dropped. If everything OK, then you will be given a receipt and you may go home. The contract documents and detailed instructions about payment, moving date, etc. will be sent to your home within one week after the lottery. You should pay the deposit money and the first month rent on the designated bank and at the designated time, just before signing the contract in the office.
Normally you will be able to move into your new home about 2 weeks after the contract day. And you'll be able to occupy your home as long as you wish, and as long as you follow the rules properly. No more trouble with all those fudosan ......!
Lottery is very much related to "luck", so it is very difficult to tell your chance for success. But it worth to be pursued, perhaps several times, because of its quality and economic value, for the sake of your pleasant and peaceful life in Japan.
Good luck!
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