How to Choose Rental Properties with Security Cameras and Protect Your Privacy: Balancing Safety and Rights for Foreign Residents

Growing Wave of Security Cameras in Rental Properties

According to crime statistics from the National Police Agency, while the number of home invasion thefts, burglaries, and residential intrusions in apartment buildings has been on a downward trend compared to the 2010s, incidents in single-person apartments across the Tokyo and Osaka metropolitan areas still occur at a scale of several thousand per year. In response, the most widely adopted security measure in rental properties is the installation of security cameras (surveillance cameras).

According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism's Housing Market Dynamics Survey, over 90% of newly built rental condominiums and 60% or more of used condominiums built within the last 20 years have security cameras installed in either the entrance, elevator, or parking lot. Even single-person apartments (steel-frame or wooden 2-story buildings) now come with security cameras in common areas as standard equipment in more than 50% of new properties.

For foreign residents, the presence of security cameras is an important element in ensuring safety. In situations where Japanese language communication is limited, security camera footage often serves as crucial evidence when problems arise. However, in properties where the recording scope and data management transparency are low, there is a risk of having one's privacy excessively recorded and stored.

This article, drawing on practical knowledge from the rental real estate industry, will organize the legal status of security camera installation, installation standards, and the key points foreign residents should verify when choosing a property.

Legal Status of Security Camera Installation: Regulation Under Personal Information Protection Law and Right of Publicity

Security camera installation in rental properties is regulated by three laws: the Personal Information Protection Law, the Specified Commercial Transaction Law, and the Civil Code (right of publicity and privacy rights).

From the perspective of the Personal Information Protection Law, if video footage captured by a security camera is stored in a form that identifies individuals, that footage constitutes "personal information." Landlords and property management companies, as personal information handlers, have obligations including specifying and publicizing purposes of use, implementing appropriate security measures, and restricting third-party provision.

In practice, properties with security cameras display "Security Camera in Operation" notices at entrances and parking lot entrances, which serves as "publicity of purpose." Recording footage is typically stored for 2 to 4 weeks, with footage beyond that period automatically deleted—this is the standard design.

From the Civil Code perspective regarding right of publicity and privacy rights, if the camera's recording scope extends to public roads, neighboring properties, or the interiors of individual unit entrances and windows, it constitutes excessive recording and creates legal issues. Case law includes examples where the removal of security cameras and compensation were approved when cameras continuously recorded neighboring unit windows, indicating that installation position and angle have reasonable constraints.

For foreign residents, what is important is the right to confirm before signing a lease whether there are camera positions that could potentially record the interior of your unit (such as directly facing your entrance door or shared corridors facing your balcony).

Four Key Points to Verify When Choosing a Property: Installation Scope, Recording Duration, Access Rights, and Emergency Response

When foreign residents select rental properties with security cameras, they must verify the following four points with the brokerage company or property management before viewing or signing the lease.

First, the installation scope of cameras. Are they installed at the entrance, elevator, parking lot, and bicycle parking? Are they installed on the shared corridors of each floor? Are they installed around garbage disposal areas? The more installation locations, the higher the crime deterrent effect, but the psychological burden of having your daily movements constantly recorded also increases.

Second, the storage period of recorded footage and deletion rules. The general standard is 2 to 4 weeks, with footage beyond that automatically deleted. To verify footage when a problem occurs, "application within 2 weeks" is necessary, so properties with very short storage periods increase the hurdles for responding after an incident.

Third, access rights to footage and application procedures. When theft or trouble occurs, can residents request the property management company to verify footage? Is police intervention required? What is the time required from request to confirmation? Is there multilingual support? These are items that should be confirmed before signing the lease.

Fourth, the emergency response system for troubles. Is there a 24-hour contact line for attempted intrusions or suspicious persons in the middle of the night or early morning? Is there multilingual support (English, Chinese, Korean)? By obtaining direct contact information to the property management company rather than going through the brokerage, response can be faster in an emergency.

Privacy Risks and Self-Protection Measures: Verifying Recording Scope and Protecting Personal Life

While benefiting from security cameras, foreign residents should also be aware of privacy risks they need to protect themselves against.

The first risk is recording of entrances and balconies. In apartment buildings designed with unit entrances facing shared corridors, security cameras in shared corridors continuously record the comings and goings of each unit's entrance. There is a structure where the frequency, timing, and number of your visitors are constantly monitored by the property management company and landlord.

The second risk is the understanding of your daily patterns in parking and bicycle parking areas. Your commute times, shopping times, and frequency of returns home can be inferred from the footage, creating a risk that your daily rhythm is monitored by third parties.

The third risk is inappropriate viewing or leakage of footage. There have been past cases where property management employees view footage out of personal interest, or footage is leaked externally through unauthorized system access.

As a self-protection measure, it is effective to verify the existence of "security camera footage handling regulations" at the property-selection stage. In properly managed properties, the authorities permitted to view footage, application procedures, and recording methods are documented, and when residents request it, a system is in place to disclose viewing history. Properties without such documentation likely have opaque operations and should either be avoided or additional questions should be asked to verify transparency.

Installing Security Cameras in Your Own Unit: Resident Rights and Building Management Rules

When foreign residents want to install security cameras in their own unit, entrance, or balcony, there are constraints from the lease agreement and building management rules.

Installing a security camera inside your own unit is, in principle, at the resident's discretion. Like furniture and appliances, it is an activity within your private space, and if it is within the scope of restoration to original condition at move-out (such as not drilling holes in walls or using adhesive tape for installation), there is no problem.

Installation on the exterior side of the entrance door (facing the shared corridor) constitutes a structural modification to the common area and requires prior approval from the landlord or property management company. Installing without approval could result in a request for removal or a penalty as a violation of building management rules.

Installation on the balcony or veranda side carries a high risk of infringing on neighboring residents' privacy and requires careful consideration. There are cases where recording neighboring units' rooms or gardens from a balcony has developed into legal disputes over right of publicity and privacy violations.

When foreign residents want to enhance their unit's security, the practical options are the following three: First, install an indoor-facing smart security camera (such as Nest Cam, Amazon Cloud Cam, or Arlo) facing the inside of the entrance door. This can record visitors and intruders but cannot monitor the outside situation. Second, install a retrofittable "peephole camera" (monitor-equipped type) on the entrance door. Since it only requires replacing the peephole, landlord approval is easier to obtain. Third, install outdoor stickers or dummy cameras. This provides only psychological deterrent effect but is low-cost and easy to restore to original condition.

Response When Trouble Occurs: From Obtaining Footage to Police Involvement

When foreign residents become involved in a problem, the procedure for utilizing security camera footage is as follows:

First, within 72 hours of the incident, request footage verification from the property management company in writing (email). In emergencies, also use a phone call and keep a record. Second, if the incident meets the requirements of a crime (theft, intrusion, etc.), file a police report. Once police make a formal request, the property management company is obligated to provide the footage. Utilize multilingual interpretation services and the foreign resident consultation windows available at each prefecture's police department. Third, for neighborhood disputes, use local government living consultation divisions, consumer protection centers, international exchange associations, or the Legal Advice System's multilingual legal consultation if legal advice is needed.

Security cameras greatly contribute to the safety of foreign residents, but property selection with an awareness of the balance with privacy is important. By evaluating properties on four axes—installation scope, storage period, access rights, and emergency response system—and choosing a property that aligns with your lifestyle and safety needs, you can secure both peace of mind and protection of your rights.

When selecting a rental property, security is an important consideration alongside floor plan and rent. This article covers practical security measures useful for anyone, especially those living alone or women—from equipment to check during viewings, to using security devices after moving in, and how to respond in emergencies.