How To Protect Your Interest

We help property sellers reduce legal, financial, and compliance risks in cross-border real estate transactions in Japan through rigorous buyer verification and international AML due diligence.

Ensuring the Safety and Security of Sellers

We possess a long-standing track record in cross-border real estate transactions in Japan—a market where such expertise remains rare and demands highly specialized skills.

Backed by our proven experience, we offer comprehensive support for safe, secure, and seamless transactions based on our deep knowledge of transaction security.

Our unique strengths are highlighted by the following two core pillars:

  • Extensive Track Record in Cross-Border Transactions: Through years of international legal practice, we are thoroughly versed in the legal systems, regulatory frameworks, and specialized due diligence methodologies of various countries.
  • Industry-Leading AML Expertise: Our firm boasts top-tier expertise in international Anti-Money Laundering (AML) frameworks, with our professional serving as an active board member on the AML/CFT compliance committee of the Japan Federation of Shiho-Shoshi (Judicial Scriveners) Associations.

Securing Transactions for Sellers

In typical real estate transactions, sellers naturally possess more granular information regarding the property itself, which often places them in a position of relative advantage over the buyer.

However, sellers also face numerous critical legal and financial pitfalls that require strict vigilance during a real estate transaction.

Our firm meticulously addresses and manages these underlying vulnerabilities to ensure a completely secure transaction process.

Potential Risks 1: Civil & Legal Risks

QConsider a scenario where the buyer is a corporate entity. What happens if a few select directors are pushing the real estate transaction forward arbitrarily on their own accord, while other board members strongly oppose it?

When dealing with corporate buyers, we rigorously verify that the decision to purchase the property has been legitimately authorized based on the corporation's formal consensus. We conduct thorough due diligence into their internal corporate governance and identify the Ultimate Beneficial Owner (UBO) to ensure a legally binding decision-making process.

AIf the buyer is an overseas corporation, it is absolutely essential to accurately determine who holds the legitimate executive decision-making authority under the corporate laws of that specific jurisdiction. Executing this type of international legal verification requires the specialized expertise we have cultivated over many years. This sophisticated cross-border legal capability sets our practice far apart from standard judicial scrivener firms.
QWhat if a buyer is funding the purchase using assets unlawfully misappropriated or embezzled from their own family members?

While a seller may initially rejoice at securing a buyer for their real estate, entering into a transaction with an entity involved in such misconduct can easily embroil the seller in severe post-closing legal disputes and asset freezes.

ATo protect our clients from unexpected collateral trouble, we confirm the source of funds (SoF) from the buyer and closely scrutinize the transaction background. We proactively minimize these transaction risks by applying our advanced risk-assessment frameworks derived from international Anti-Money Laundering protocols.

Potential Risks 2: Tax-Related Risks

Q Furthermore, if you are a seller residing outside of Japan, navigating the complex tax obligations and legal reporting procedures associated with overseas real estate liquidation requires meticulous care.
A: We always conduct mandatory face-to-face or secure online consultations with sellers to provide a comprehensive overview of these essential tax obligations. When necessary, we seamlessly introduce licensed Japanese tax accountants who specialize in international taxation.

The primary tax considerations that sellers must carefully navigate are rooted in Japan's intricate tax codes, including capital gains tax (individual/corporate income tax on transfer of property) and gift tax frameworks.

We maintain a strong collaborative network with multiple elite tax accountants thoroughly well-versed in international tax law. Through this robust professional alliance, sellers can confidently proceed with their real estate liquidation with absolute peace of mind.

Potential Risks 3: Criminal Liability Risks

Q In recent years, the escalating risk of international money laundering has become a pressing issue across the Asian region. Parallel to the rapid economic development of countries surrounding Japan, the financial operations—and consequently, the criminal activities—of organized syndicates have become increasingly sophisticated. In Japan, these syndicates are actively accelerating their efforts to acquire high-value real estate using illicitly obtained funds. For a seller, is this global compliance issue merely a trivial matter that can be safely ignored?
A If your property is inadvertently sold to an illicit organization, you risk being subjected to intensive investigations by law enforcement authorities under suspicion of complicity in money laundering. In the worst-case scenario, this can escalate into severe criminal prosecution risks for the seller.

Our firm possesses industry-leading expertise in comprehensively vetting counterparties to ensure sellers do not unwittingly expose themselves to these severe international risks.

This institutional knowledge extends far beyond standard AML compliance. It functions as an adaptable, multi-layered safeguard designed to shield sellers from all the legal, financial, and civil risks outlined above—exponentially boosting our overall capacity to mitigate transaction vulnerabilities from every angle.