Guides

Plain-English explanations for people renting or buying in Japan, written from official sources.

• How to read a Japanese hazard map, in English

  Japan publishes hazard maps for almost every address, but the official ones are in Japanese. This guide explains what they show, how to read the colours, and where they stop being reliable.

• Earthquake intensity 6-lower and Japan's building codes

  Two numbers matter when you judge a home's earthquake risk: how hard the ground may shake, and what the building was designed to withstand. This guide explains both and shows what the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes revealed.

• What your agent must tell you about flood risk in Japan

  When you buy or rent a home in Japan, the agent must go through an explanation of important matters before you sign. Since 28 August 2020 that explanation includes flood risk. Here is what it covers and what it leaves out.

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