Rent Guarantor Companies in Japan Compared: What to Look For

Since 2026, roughly 90% or more of private rental listings in Tokyo generally require the use of a guarantor company (保証会社), whether or not you also have a personal guarantor.

Since this fee is now essentially unavoidable for most renters, it’s worth understanding what you’re actually comparing when an agent hands you a guarantor company’s application form. Short answer: look at the initial fee, the annual renewal fee, whether multilingual support is offered, and whether the company appears on Japan’s official registered list. Here’s how to evaluate one.

What a Guarantor Company Actually Does

A guarantor company doesn’t remove your financial responsibility for rent — it replaces the need for a personal guarantor by agreeing to cover your landlord’s losses if you default, in exchange for a fee. If you fail to pay rent, the company pays the landlord, and then the company pursues repayment from you directly.

Typical Cost Structure

Fee Type	Typical Range
Initial guarantee fee (at contract signing)	50%–100% of one month’s rent
Annual renewal fee	¥10,000/year, or roughly 10%–30% of monthly rent/year, depending on the company

💡 For a ¥80,000/month apartment with a 50% initial fee, that’s roughly ¥40,000 upfront, plus an ongoing annual renewal cost — worth factoring into your total move-in and long-term cost comparison, not just the headline rent.

What to Actually Compare

Since specific companies’ policies and fee structures vary and change over time, rather than ranking named companies, here’s what’s worth asking about each one your agent proposes:

Ask About	Why It Matters
Registered status	Confirm whether the company appears on MLIT’s official registered rent guarantee company list (see below)
Initial fee percentage	Ranges significantly between companies — always get the exact percentage in writing
Annual renewal fee structure	Some charge a flat fee, others a percentage of rent — ask for the total over your expected length of stay
Multilingual support	Some companies offer English, Chinese, Korean, or Vietnamese support specifically — worth asking directly if this matters to you
Required documents	Generally ID, proof of income (pay slips or tax withholding statement), and an application form, though specifics vary
What happens on late payment	Ask about the company’s process and any late fees before you’re in that situation, not after

MLIT’s Registered Company List

Since 2017, Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) has operated an official registration system for rent guarantee companies (家賃債務保証業者登録制度), publishing a list of companies that meet baseline standards for their operations. Registration is voluntary rather than mandatory, so a company not being on the list doesn’t automatically mean it’s unreliable — but checking the list is a reasonable first step when evaluating an unfamiliar company.

Do You Get to Choose Your Own Guarantor Company?

In many cases, no — the property owner or managing agency often has a specific guarantor company (or a short list) that they work with, and you may not have full freedom to pick a different one. It’s still worth asking directly whether alternatives are available, particularly if the assigned company doesn’t offer support in a language you’re comfortable with.

A Real Guarantor Company Experience

A friend of mine, who’s rented multiple times in Japan, has mostly been assigned GTN as her guarantor company across different properties. Her experience has generally been smooth — she doesn’t recall the exact fee off the top of her head, which is itself telling: it wasn’t memorable enough to be a pain point, which is probably the best outcome you can hope for from this part of the process.

FAQ

Q: Can I refuse to use a guarantor company?
A: In most current listings, no — the guarantor company is generally a condition of the lease set by the property owner, not an optional add-on you can decline.

Q: Is the guarantor company fee refundable if I move out early?
A: Generally no — the initial fee is a one-time cost for the guarantee period, and it isn’t typically refunded on a pro-rated basis if you leave before your lease term ends.

Q: What happens if the guarantor company rejects my application?
A: This can happen based on income, employment history, or other factors. If it does, it’s worth asking your agent whether an alternative guarantor company is available for the same property, since criteria vary between companies.

Your Guarantor Company Comparison Checklist

• Confirmed whether the proposed company appears on MLIT’s registered list
• Got the exact initial fee percentage and annual renewal fee in writing
• Asked whether multilingual support is available, if relevant to you
• Asked whether you have any choice between guarantor companies for this specific property
• Calculated the total guarantor cost over your expected length of stay, not just the upfront fee