Renewing Your Apartment Lease in Japan: The Two-Year Mark and Koushinryou
Updated: 2026-08-28
Quick answer
Most apartment leases in Japan run on a two-year cycle, and as that period ends you'll be asked whether you want to renew. This step is called lease renewal, and in many contracts it comes with a renewal fee known as koushinryou.
The short version: a notice will arrive a couple of months ahead, you'll usually pay a renewal fee that is often about a month's rent, you'll re-sign or re-confirm your guarantor and insurance, and then you decide to stay or move. None of it is scary once you know the shape of it, and the whole thing rewards a little advance planning.
Why the two-year mark exists
When you first signed your lease, there was a fixed term written into it, and for the majority of ordinary rental contracts that term is two years. It isn't a limit on how long you can live there; it's simply the point where the agreement is reviewed and continued.
Because the term is fixed, both you and the property side expect a checkpoint at the end of it. For you, that checkpoint is a natural moment to reassess your rent, your neighborhood, your commute, and your life. For the landlord, it's the moment the paperwork refreshes. Knowing this helps you treat the renewal as routine rather than a surprise.
The renewal notice: what arrives and when
Typically a renewal notice reaches you a month or two before the current term ends. It's usually a physical document, sometimes accompanied by a phone call from the management company, and it lays out that your lease is coming up for renewal and what you're expected to do next.
The notice will state the new term, the renewal fee if there is one, and any documents you need to sign and return. There's almost always a return deadline. Read it the day it arrives rather than letting it sit, because the deadline is the part people most often miss, and missing it can complicate an otherwise simple process.
Koushinryou: the renewal fee
Koushinryou is a fee some contracts charge to continue the lease for another term. Not every property has one, and it varies by region and by contract, but where it applies it is often about a month's rent, paid once at renewal.
Alongside the renewal fee, watch for other line items that can come due at the same time, such as a renewal handling charge or a fresh insurance premium. The goal isn't to memorize amounts in advance, but to expect that renewal is a moment when a few costs cluster together, so you can set money aside before the notice arrives.
Guarantor and insurance: re-signing the supports
Your lease usually rests on two supports: a guarantor arrangement and a fire or household insurance policy. At renewal, both often need to be re-confirmed or renewed so they stay valid for the next term.
If you use a guarantor company, its coverage may need to be extended, and your insurance policy frequently runs on its own two-year cycle that lines up with the lease. Check the expiry dates on both while you have the renewal notice in front of you. Handling them together, rather than one by one later, keeps everything aligned and saves a second round of paperwork.
Renew or move: making the choice calmly
Renewal is also a genuine fork in the road. You can continue where you are, or you can use the natural end of the term to move somewhere that fits your life better. Neither choice is wrong; they simply need different lead times.
If you plan to move, you generally must give notice by a date written in your contract, often well before the term ends, so decide early. If you plan to stay, returning the renewal paperwork on time is usually all it takes. The one thing to avoid is drifting past the deadline without a decision, because that removes your options rather than adding them.
A simple timeline to keep you ahead
A few months out, mark your lease end date on your calendar and note both the renewal deadline and the move-out notice deadline. Set aside funds for the fee that is often about a month's rent, plus any insurance renewal. When the notice arrives, read it fully the same day.
Then decide: staying means signing and returning the documents and confirming your guarantor and insurance; moving means giving notice in time and starting your search. Working backward from the deadline turns a stressful crunch into a series of small, manageable steps.
Don't miss the notice: keep your line active
Here's the quiet detail that ties this together: your renewal notice reaches you by mail, and any follow-up usually comes by phone, to the contact number written on your lease. If that number goes dead, you can miss the deadline without ever knowing it was near.
That's why I suggest getting a Japanese phone number and your data sorted early, right after you settle in. With your residence card, an eSIM can be set up in about 15 minutes, and from then on the management company can always reach you and you'll catch the renewal notice in good time. It's a small step that quietly protects every deadline that follows.
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