From April 1, 2026 (Reiwa 8), owners of registered real estate (individuals and corporations) must apply to register a change of name or address within two years of the change. Failing to do so without a justifiable reason may result in an administrative fine of up to JPY 50,000. Unregistered changes made before the start date must also be registered by March 31, 2028.The names and addresses of owners of land and buildings are written in the registry book of the Legal Affairs Bureau. From April 1, 2026, if you move or a company changes its name, you must fix that record within two years. If you do not, you may have to pay a penalty-like fee (called an administrative fine).
Main dates for mandatory registration and smart change registration
April 1, 2026Mandatory registration of address and name changes starts (within two years of the change)
May 15, 2026Smart change registration for corporations starts in stages by category, based on this date
From mid-December 2026For individuals, confirmation notices from the Legal Affairs Bureau are sent in stages
March 31, 2028Deadline for registering changes made before the start date and still unregistered
How to fix it
1. A changeYou moved, or a company changed its name or head office
2. Within 2 yearsApply to the Legal Affairs Bureau to fix the address or name
3. An easy wayIf you file a request in advance, there is also a system where the Bureau checks and fixes it after a change
Under the 2025 (Reiwa 7) pension reform law, from April 2026 (Reiwa 8) the threshold that decides whether the old-age employees' pension is suspended under the in-service old-age pension has been raised from JPY 510,000 to JPY 650,000 a month. If the basic monthly amount plus the total remuneration monthly equivalent is JPY 650,000 or less, the pension is paid in full.If you keep working after 60 and also receive a pension, part of the pension stops when your pay plus pension goes over a certain line. From April 2026, that line moved up from JPY 510,000 to JPY 650,000.
Read more →Bank of JapanEconomic news (Japan & world)
In the 208th Tankan (Short-Term Economic Survey of Enterprises in Japan, March 2026 survey), published by the Bank of Japan on April 1, 2026, the business conditions DI for all industries ("favorable" minus "unfavorable", percentage points) was 27 for large enterprises, 23 for medium-sized enterprises and 13 for small enterprises. The changes in the "actual results" from the previous survey were +2, +1 and -1 points, respectively.The Bank of Japan runs a large survey four times a year asking companies across the country "How is the economy right now?". In the results announced on April 1, 2026 for the March 2026 survey, more companies answered "favorable" than "unfavorable". The outlook for about three months ahead, however, was lower than the current figure.
Read more →Ministry of Justice / Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and TourismReal estateApril 1, 2026 (Reiwa 8): the amendments to the Condominium Ownership Act, the Condominium Regeneration Act, etc.
The amendments to the Condominium Ownership Act and related laws under Act No. 47 of 2025 (promulgated May 30, 2025) came into force on April 1, 2026. Resolutions that do not involve disposal of unit ownership, such as repairs, can now be passed by a majority of those attending, and owners whose whereabouts are unknown, as certified by a court, are excluded from the count. Whole-building renovation and bulk sale can also be decided by the same kind of majority as rebuilding.In a condominium, the people who live there decide on repairs and rebuilding by talking together. But some owners do not come to meetings or cannot be found, so it became harder to decide. From April 1, 2026, new rules make it easier to decide.
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