Japan has started tracking large-scale land purchases by non-residents. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism will require buyers of sizable forest areas to report nationality when acquiring plots of 10,000 square meters or more. Local governments will collect the data and the national government plans to introduce a consolidated information system in fiscal year 2026. The goal is to prevent misuse of important resources such as water sources and forests.
Under the National Land Use Planning Act, major land transactions must already be reported to prefectural or designated city authorities within two weeks after a contract is signed. The new framework adds closer monitoring of foreign buyers to reinforce responsible land management.