Renting in Japan Without a Guarantor or Guarantor Company: Your Options in 2026

What is Rental Housing Without a Guarantor or Guarantor Company?

In standard Japanese rentals, a joint guarantor (or guarantor company) is typically required. However, by meeting certain conditions or choosing specific properties or services, you can rent without a guarantor. This information is particularly important for foreign residents and those unable to arrange a guarantor.

UR Rental Housing (Urban Renaissance Corporation)

The biggest feature of UR rental housing is that no key money, no guarantor, and no renewal fees are guaranteed by the system itself.

Eligibility Requirements:

• •Monthly income (or regular income) is at least 4 times the monthly rent
• •Savings balance is at least 100 months of rent (as an alternative if the income requirement cannot be met)
• •For foreign nationals: a medium to long-term residence status is required (short-term visitor visas are not eligible)

Property Characteristics:

• •Approximately 700,000 units, concentrated in major metropolitan areas nationwide
• •Many properties are 30–40 years old, though renovated units are increasing
• •Many properties feature facilities tailored to families with children and senior residents
• •Rents are comparable to or slightly below local market rates

Information for Foreign Residents:

UR's website (ur-net.go.jp) has an English version and offers foreign-language support.

Share Houses

In most cases, share houses allow you to move in without a guarantor, without key money, and with minimal upfront costs.

Major Share House Operators:

• •Sakura House: Numerous locations in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, and Kyoto. Foreigner-friendly, full English support
• •OAKHOUSE: Numerous locations in Tokyo, Kanagawa, and Saitama. Welcomes foreigners
• •Borderless House: Intercultural share houses built on a multinational community concept
• •TOKYO β: Operates numerous budget-friendly share houses across Tokyo's 23 wards

Advantages:

• •Low upfront costs (no security deposit, key money, or guarantor in most cases)
• •Fully furnished with appliances; move-in ready
• •Opportunity to practice Japanese and English in an international community
• •Short-term contracts (from 1 month) often available

Disadvantages:

• •Limited privacy (private rooms available but with shared common areas)
• •Must follow shared living rules, such as cleaning schedules
• •Long-term costs may be higher than standard rentals

Monthly Mansions (Monthly Rental Apartments)

These are fully furnished apartments available on a monthly basis. They typically require no key money or security deposit and usually no guarantor.

Major Services:

• •Monthly 48 (nationwide)
• •Weekly Mansion Tokyo
• •Apaman Shop Monthly & Weekly

Cost estimate: ¥100,000–¥150,000 per month for a 1K in Tokyo (higher than standard rent plus upfront costs, but with zero upfront fees and immediate move-in)

Best use: Ideal as temporary housing immediately after arriving in Japan (1–3 months), allowing time to search for a standard apartment.

Private Properties with No Key Money and Flexible Guarantor Options

For properties that explicitly allow a guarantor company as an alternative, you can rent without a guarantor by using a foreign-friendly guarantor company (such as GTN).

Using the "No Guarantor Required" filter on property sites like SUUMO helps narrow down properties that can be handled with a guarantor company alone.

Public Housing (Metropolitan, Municipal, and Prefectural)

Public housing is designed for low-income households and features no key money, no guarantor requirement, and low rents.

Foreign Eligibility: Many public housing units require Japanese nationality or permanent resident status. Depending on your immigration status, you may not be eligible; contact your local municipality in advance to verify.

Occupancy rates are highly competitive (Tokyo metropolitan housing averages a 10:1 ratio or higher), so immediate move-in is not guaranteed.

Using Guarantor Companies for Foreign Residents

A guarantor company acts as a "substitute guarantor," allowing you to effectively rent without a guarantor by contracting with one.

Major Foreign-Friendly Guarantor Companies:

• •GTN (Global Trust Networks): Most responsive to foreign applicant screening
• •New Stage: Multilingual support available
• •Japan Safety: Extensive experience with foreign residents

Even with a guarantor company, your immigration status and income will be reviewed. Screening becomes stricter if your residence period is short or income is unstable.

2026 Trend: Growing Availability of Guarantor-Free Properties

Driven by increasing foreign residents and rising vacancies due to population decline, 2026 sees a surge in guarantor-free and foreigner-friendly properties. Regional cities (Sendai, Fukuoka, Nagoya) in particular are actively welcoming foreign tenants without guarantor requirements, expanding your options compared to the past.