A letter from your property manager says 契約更新のお知らせ and asks you to return papers or pay a fee. Before you sign, compare it with your current lease: check the contract type, new dates, rent, every charge, and the reply deadline. A renewal notice is not a universal form, and the amount due depends on your agreement.
Words on a Japanese lease renewal notice
| Japanese | Reading | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 契約更新のお知らせ | keiyaku kōshin no oshirase | Notice about renewing the contract |
| 契約期間 | keiyaku kikan | Contract term; compare the old and proposed dates |
| 満了日 | manryōbi | End date of the current term |
| 更新日 | kōshinbi | Date the renewed term begins or takes effect |
| 更新料 | kōshinryō | Renewal fee, if the contract provides for one |
| 更新事務手数料 | kōshin jimu tesūryō | Administrative fee for renewal; ask who receives it and why |
| 賃料・共益費／管理費 | chinryō; kyōekihi / kanrihi | Rent and common-area or management charges |
| 保証会社更新料 | hoshō gaisha kōshinryō | Renewal charge under a rent guarantee arrangement, if applicable |
| 火災保険料 | kasai hokenryō | Fire insurance premium; check the policy and coverage period |
| 返送期限・支払期限 | hensō kigen; shiharai kigen | Deadline to return documents; deadline to pay |
| 普通借家契約・定期借家契約 | futsū shakka keiyaku; teiki shakka keiyaku | Ordinary lease; fixed-term lease |
The labels vary by agency. A line that simply says “renewal” does not tell you whether a charge is rent, a landlord’s renewal fee, an agency fee, insurance, or a guarantee company fee.
Check the notice in five steps
- Find your original lease. Look for the contract type, term, renewal and cancellation clauses, rent, and any agreed fees. Keep the notice next to that document, rather than relying on memory.
- Compare dates and terms. Write down the current end date, proposed new term, any rent or common-charge change, and each response deadline. Ask for a revised document if the address, name, or amount is wrong.
- Separate the charges. Make a line-by-line list of 更新料, administrative fees, guarantee company fees, insurance, and any new rent. Ask which payee and contract clause supports each item. Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) notes that some rentals require a renewal fee and advises checking costs at renewal. It does not state that every home has the same fee. See its rental move-in and move-out guidance.
- Confirm the contract type. A fixed-term lease (定期借家契約) ends at the agreed term without ordinary renewal; staying requires a new agreement by both parties. Do not treat a “recontracting” document as an automatic renewal. MLIT explains this distinction in its fixed-term lease Q&A.
- Ask questions before signing or transferring money. Contact the management company through the number on your existing lease or its verified website, especially if the payment destination changed. Save the notice, your questions, the reply, signed documents, and receipts.
Useful Japanese messages
| What you want to ask | Japanese to send | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Request an itemization | 更新時に必要な費用の内訳を教えていただけますか。 | Could you tell me the breakdown of costs required for renewal? |
| Check a rent change | 新しい賃料はいつから適用されますか。 | When will the new rent take effect? |
| Check the deadline | 書類の返送期限と支払期限を確認させてください。 | Please confirm the document return and payment deadlines. |
| Ask about the contract type | これは普通借家契約の更新ですか、それとも定期借家契約の再契約ですか。 | Is this an ordinary lease renewal or a new fixed-term lease agreement? |
| Ask for the clause | この費用について、契約書の該当箇所を教えていただけますか。 | Could you point me to the relevant clause in the lease for this charge? |
You can begin: 契約更新のお知らせを受け取りました。確認したい点があります。 (“I received the renewal notice and have a few questions.”) Include your building and room number, but avoid sending sensitive ID images through an unverified channel.
Two mistakes to avoid
“The lease says two years, so I must leave on that date.” First identify whether it is an ordinary lease or a fixed-term lease. The rules are different. MLIT provides a standard ordinary residential lease form and separate fixed-term lease information; your signed contract controls the details of your own arrangement.
“Every renewal charge is one fee.” The landlord, agency, insurer, and guarantee company may issue separate requests. Verify each charge against its own document. If a term is unclear or you dispute a charge, seek an explanation in writing before agreeing; Tokyo Metropolitan Government also provides English guidance on rental disputes.
If you plan to move instead
Read the cancellation clause and give notice through the method specified in your lease. The reply deadline on a renewal letter and the notice period for ending a lease may be different. Use our apartment move-out checklist to plan the inspection, keys, and deposit settlement. If you are still comparing a new apartment, see our guides to initial rental costs and rent guarantors.
This is a reading guide for common notices, not a determination of your legal rights or the amount you owe. Contract wording and circumstances differ. Ask the manager for a written explanation and use a local housing or consumer consultation service if a dispute remains.
