Can I Build on This Land? A Checklist for Buyers in Japan

Picture this: your wife’s family’s friend has a vacant lot they’re looking to sell. It sounds like a great opportunity — maybe the land is cheap, maybe it’s in a location you’ve always wanted. You start imagining the possibilities: a house, a small café, or even a minpaku (short-term rental).

But here’s the catch: in Japan, not every empty plot of land is actually buildable. Some land is locked down by strict zoning, some doesn’t meet road access requirements, and others may be in areas where new construction is practically impossible. If you don’t do your homework, you could end up with nothing more than an expensive patch of dirt.

If you’re buying in the middle of Meguro or another established city neighborhood, not every point on this checklist will apply — utilities are usually already in place, and wildlife probably isn’t a concern. Still, the majority of these checks do matter, and knowing them will help you avoid costly mistakes. If you’re buying in the countryside, this information is absolutely critical.

So, before you even think about signing a contract, here’s what you need to check.

1. Are the rights and ownership clear?

Before looking at zoning, building ratios, or price, you need to know one thing: who really owns the land and any existing buildings on it? Problems here can lead to years of disputes.

In Japan, ownership rights are recorded in the property registry (登記簿 / tōkibo). A licensed agent should obtain a certified copy and confirm:

• The seller is the legal owner.
• There are no co-owners or heirs with claims.
• The land isn’t burdened with liens, mortgages, or rights of way.

Don’t take the seller’s word for it. If ownership isn’t clean, you don’t have a deal.

2. Is the land in a designated planning area (都市計画区域 / toshi keikaku kuiki)?

This is the first fork in the road. Japan divides land into areas with development oversight and areas without it.

• Inside a planning area: rules about zoning, building coverage, floor area ratio, and road access will apply. This is where most urban and suburban land sits, and it gives you clear, predictable guidelines.
• Outside a planning area: in many regions, restrictions are much stricter. You may not be able to build unless it’s for agriculture, forestry, or other specific uses. Even if building is allowed, it might require special permits and long approval times.

However, not all “outside planning area” land is the same. In rural municipalities such as Hokuto City in Yamanashi, most land is outside any planning zone, and you can still build — even on land designated as forest (山林 (sanrin) — as long as you meet road access and safety requirements. The key is that rules vary greatly by municipality. Always confirm with the local city hall before assuming either way.

3. What zoning and restrictions apply?

Land use in Japan is shaped by several overlapping rules:

• Land use zones (用途地域 / yōto chiiki) decide whether a property can host a house, apartment, café, or commercial building.
• Building coverage ratio (建ぺい率 / kenpeiritsu) sets how much of the land you can cover with a structure.
• Scenic or protected zones (景観法 / keikan-hō, conservation areas) can restrict building height, colors, or even the style of your house.
• Restrictions on demolition or rebuilding may apply if there’s already an old house — once demolished, you may not be able to rebuild under today’s stricter rules.
• Hazard maps (ハザードマップ) published by municipalities show areas at risk of flooding, landslides, tsunamis, or volcanic activity. A cheap lot in a red zone may not be a bargain once you factor in insurance, safety, and resale risks.
• Intended use matters: even if you can build, running a minpaku, shop, or other business may not be permitted.

These zoning and usage rules work together. An apparently attractive lot can become useless if just one of them conflicts with your plans.

4. What are the building size and approval basics?

Two key issues determine whether your building plan will be approved:

• Floor area ratio (容積率 / yōsekiritsu) controls the total amount of floor space you can build. For example, a FAR of 200% on a 100m² lot allows 200m² across multiple floors.
• Road access (接道義務 / setsudō gimu) requires that the land touches a public road of sufficient width (usually 4m). Without this, no building permit will be issued.

Road access is especially tricky:

• If the road is too narrow, the city may require you to set back your building line, effectively shrinking your lot.
• If the road isn’t officially designated as public, but is instead a private road (私道 / shidō), you need to confirm ownership. Unless you hold partial ownership of the road, you may not have guaranteed legal access. In some cases, neighbors can block construction or even daily use if access rights aren’t secured.

Because of this, it’s critical to have your agent check who owns the road and whether your access rights are formally registered in the property registry. Without this, your building approval may never be granted.

5. Is the land legally classified as buildable (建築可 / kenchiku-ka)?

Not every empty lot is officially “buildable.” Some land is designated as 建築不可 (non-buildable) due to access issues, zoning conflicts, or location outside planning zones. This is often the case with:

• Flagpole-shaped lots (旗竿地 / hatazao-chi) that don’t have enough road frontage.
• Agricultural land that requires a conversion application to be repurposed.
• Conservation or hazard zones where safety rules prohibit construction.

If the classification isn’t right, you cannot get a building permit — even if the seller swears “it’s fine.”

6. Are utilities available?

Utilities are the silent deal-breaker. A plot may look perfect on paper, but if you can’t get water, sewer, electricity, or gas, it’s just a field. Here’s what to check:

• Water supply: Is there municipal water, or will you need a well? New connections often involve high fees.
• Sewerage: If no city sewers, you’ll need a septic system (浄化槽 / jōkasō), which requires space, inspections, and upkeep.
• Electricity: Extending power lines may cost millions of yen if new poles or transformers are required.
• Gas: City gas may not reach; you may rely on propane tanks.
• Internet/telecom: Fiber networks don’t always extend to rural areas.

These aren’t minor details — utility installation can easily cost more than the land itself.

7. What about wildlife risks?

If you’re buying in the countryside, it’s not just zoning and utilities you need to worry about — it’s the local wildlife too. In rural Japan, monkeys, wild boar, and deer can cause serious damage to gardens, orchards, and farm plots. A single night of foraging can wipe out months of planting and thousands of yen in value.

Ask neighbors and the local city hall about the presence of wildlife in the area, and whether there are countermeasures in place such as fences, traps, or community patrols. If you’re planning to grow food or keep a large garden, this can make the difference between a workable property and a constant uphill battle.

8. Are you paying a fair price for the land?

Once you’ve confirmed ownership, zoning, buildability, and utilities, you can finally ask: how much is this land really worth?

Japan’s 路線価 (rosenka) system provides official land values used for taxation. While not identical to market prices, it’s a strong baseline. A licensed agent can compare this with recent sales to check if the asking price is fair.

But the purchase price is only the beginning. With raw land, the true cost of building can include:

• Road widening or access improvements
• Extending power lines or installing poles
• Drilling a well or connecting to municipal water
• Installing a septic tank or drainage ditch
• Clearing trees, grading slopes, stabilizing soil
• Constructing retaining walls in hazard-prone areas

By the time you add these site-preparation costs, the “cheap” land can become far more expensive than buying a ready-to-build lot.

9. What about resale value?

Even if you plan to live in your new home forever, it’s smart to think about what happens if circumstances change. Jobs, family, health, or finances can force you to sell when you least expect it. That’s when resale value matters.

Ask yourself: if I had to sell this property tomorrow, who would buy it and for how much? Some land and houses in Japan are easy to resell because they’re in convenient, desirable locations. Others, especially rural or hard-to-build plots, can sit on the market for years and lose value quickly.

You might be perfectly comfortable losing $200,000–$300,000 because you love the place and never want to leave. That’s fine — as long as you go in with your eyes open. It’s far better to know the risks before you buy than to discover them after you’ve run out of cash and are forced to sell.

A licensed agent can give you a realistic picture of resale potential by comparing similar sales and looking at long-term demand trends in the area.

Why These Checks Matter

Buying land through a family connection feels simple, but it’s exactly these situations where buyers skip essential checks. And once you’ve paid, there’s no undo button.

A licensed real estate agent (宅建士 / takken-shi) isn’t just a salesperson. Their role is to confirm ownership rights, verify zoning and buildability, identify hidden costs, and compare prices against official standards. They protect you from expensive mistakes — a service worth far more than their commission.

The Bottom Line

Vacant land is full of promise, but promise doesn’t always mean possibility. Before you buy, confirm the ownership, the zoning rules, the legal buildability, the utility access, the wildlife risks, the hidden costs, and the resale value.

That empty lot could be the start of your dream home, or it could be a very expensive mistake. The difference lies in what you check — and who you trust to check it with you.