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A. Accommodations for foreign
students include the following types.
i) Student dormitories
While some schools run dormitories
for foreign students, some simply offer assistance in finding private
accommodations. If you experience problems in finding accommodations
after you arrive in Japan, we suggest that you first consult with
those in charge at your school.
ii) Public housing provided
by regional public organizations
There is some public housing that
accepts foreign applicants. However, there are restrictions and
requirements such as needing a relative to be residing with you
or to have resided for a minimum of a prescribed period of time
in that prefecture. For details, please consult with the housing
section of the prefectural government office and others.
iii) Staff dormitories owned
by Japanese firms
With the cooperation of Japanese
firms, the Corporate Friendship Network for Foreign Students has
begun accepting foreign students in staff dormitories owned by Japanese
firms. Applications are accepted through universities.
iv) Private accommodations for
rent
Though the renting conditions vary
greatly, private accommodations are usually leased through a real
estate agency in the chosen area. We suggest that you consult with
your school. Please refer below for further details regarding private
housing for rent.
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A. Before you lease private
accommodations, you should check what the usual monthly rent in
the area is. In the case of the Tokyo metropolitan area, rent is
normally higher the closer the accommodation is to the center of
Tokyo and similarly cheaper the further it is from central Tokyo.
Other conditions that determine the rent include the distance from
the nearest train station, how old the accommodations are, the surrounding
neighborhood, the amount of sunshine that that the room gets and
the popularity of the area as a residential district. There seem
to be many small apartments with a monthly rent of between ¥40,000
- ¥80,000(*).
(*)Rental fees in metropolitan areas differ greatly from those in outlying areas.
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A. i) Inquire at your school
The school office at Japanese universities,
special training colleges and Japanese-language institutes often
assist enrolled students in finding private accommodations for students
in the vicinity of the school. We suggest that you check with your
school.
ii) Find accommodations through
a real estate agency
Real estate agencies act as mediators
for apartment and condominium rentals. They are usually located
close to train stations and often have signs posted outside saying
XYZ "Fudosan" or XYZ "Home". Many have small advertisements listing
rental conditions for available accommodations pasted to their glass
doors and windows. Schools will sometimes offer assistance in locating
a real estate agency so you may want to inquire at your school.
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A. i) Leased accommodations
such as apartments are normally unfurnished. For example, although
there is a kitchen sink, the cooking stove is usually not furnished.
You will also need to provide your own lighting, rugs, curtains,
and so on.
ii) You will need to pay a total
of between 5 to 6 months rent in advance. This includes non-refundable
key money, a refundable deposit, the real estate agency's commission
and the first month's rent.
iii) You will also need a Japanese
joint guarantor This is a Japanese custom, and Japanese nationals
also need a joint guarantor when they lease accommodations.
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A. A joint guarantor is
necessary when you lease accommodations. A real estate agent will
almost always say that you need a 'Japanese' joint guarantor. The
condition for becoming a joint guarantor and the joint guarantor's
liabilities are as follows:
i) Condition for becoming a
joint guarantor
A joint guarantor must be 'an adult
who earns an independent living.' In other words, it is someone
who has an income that supports the household finances.
ii) Joint guarantor's liabilities
In the case that a lessee fails to
pay his or her rent by the given deadline or causes damage the room
and fails to make compensations, the landlord has the right to request
payment from the joint guarantor. In other words, the joint guarantor
is legally liable to make debt servicing on your behalf.
Fathers or other relatives who pay
the tuition normally act as the joint guarantor for Japanese students.
Therefore, the landlord or real estate agent usually assumes that
they can receive payment for unpaid rent by contacting the lessee's
parent.
Because joint guarantors become legally
liable for you, it may be difficult to find a guarantor if they
are people who do not know you very well. We suggest that you ask
someone you know very well, for example, your guarantor.
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A. Japanese dormitory and
apartment leases normally prohibit those other than the lessee to
reside in the accommodations. Therefore, problems will arise if
you stay at your friend's accommodations or allow your friends or
family to reside in your own accommodations without getting the
consent of the landlord or apartment superintendent. Be sure to
consult with your landlord in advance.
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