This page introduces the most important and Japanese culture-specific feature when renting housing, which is the “guarantor system.”

When leasing housing, you (the leasee), the landlord (the leaser) and the real estate agent being present is not enough to conclude the lease contract. A “guarantor” is the 4th party required to complete the contract.

The guarantor is a person to be jointly responsible for liabilities that you would have to the landlord. This means that the landlord could legally seek payment for rent from the guarantor and not you. (This is an extreme example.)

Generally, however, the landlords do not contact the guarantor unless the tenant does not pay rent, moves out without notice, causes trouble with neighbors, or causes other serious problems.

Japanese students usually ask their parents or siblings to become their guarantor. Guarantor is a point that landlords emphasize when vetting tenants who want to move in. Receiving approval for housing from the landlord becomes difficult if the guarantor does not have stable income. Also, landlords very frequently require “Japanese” guarantors (Japanese in nationality) as conditions for rental, which makes housing search difficult for non-Japanese people who seek to live in Japan.

To ease this situation, UTokyo offers a system called the “Joint Guarantor Assistance System,” in which the Head of International Students and Researchers Support Group serves as guarantor for international students. If you would like to use this system, please visit the Office of the International Students and Researchers Support Group（2nd floor of Student Support Center）of Hongo campus as soon as possible, before you apply for housing through a real estate agency. Information and a detailed explanation about the use of this system can be offered there. (This system is unfortunately not available for researchers.)
For international students to become eligible to use the Joint Guarantor Assistance System, the student must be enrolled at UTokyo and must also enter the “Comprehensive Renter's Insurance for Foreign Students Studying in Japan” offered by Japan Educational Exchanges and Services Foundation. The Joint Guarantor Assistance System in principle cannot be used until the student is enrolled, but can be open to discussion from 1 to 2 months prior to enrollment. Please understand that application for using this system cannot be accepted from overseas.
http://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/campus-life/students/housing/univ-guarantor-sys.html

Recently, there is housing where you can pay a fee to an agency providing guarantor services to become your guarantor. (These guarantor service agencies are usually designated by the landlord or real estate agency.) This system frees the tenant from having to find a personal guarantor. The number of rooms available with this kind of service is increasing.

You need prior consent from the landlord to utilize the guarantor service provider, and you would have to also be vetted by the service provider. Once approved that you are financially capable of paying rent, the fee that you would pay for the guarantor service would be decided based on your capability to pay rent. The initial fee for such service tend to be as high as 1 months worth of rent, and a renewal fee of 10,000 yen is also commonly charged. (There are no laws that cap the price for this service).

There is also housing where neither a personal guarantor nor guarantor service provider is required. For example, housing offered by UR (Urban Renaissance Agency) does not require a guarantor. (UR does require a deposit of 3 months worth of rent) However, these types of housing are limited in number, with their rent usually priced higher.

To lease rooms such as those introduced on Chapter01-04 by using a guarantor service provider, you would have to pay a guarantor service fee.

People in Japan are increasingly starting to use the guarantor services. The reason is that although initial cost rises, you do not have to worry about finding a personal guarantor, or bear the burden of having to ask someone you know to take on the responsibility.