Things to do when moving from one place to anohter within Japan

1. Look for a house

Below are useful websites to find houses in Okinawa

• Uchina life: https://www.e-uchina.net/ *Click here to download the instruction on how to use the website
• Goohome: https://goohome.jp/

2. Contact the real estate company inquiring the following items:

4. Determine the move-in date

• Determine the date while taking the termination date of your current housing lease contract into account

5. Submit an application form to the real estate company

• Ensure to submit a copy of the resident card as well

6. Wait until the application will have been screened

7. Notify the current real estate company of the intention of moving out

• Please be noted that you have to submit the termination request (normally) one month prior to the date you want to have your lease contract terminated
• Schedule a final inspection with the real estate company to thoroughly check the house to ensure the house is returned in an acceptable condition
• Ensure to empty the house before the final inspection
• Be noted that the real estate company may charge you for repairs/replacements incurred by the damage made during your stay
• Be noted that in Japan, you will be charged for the cleaning cost no matter how clean the house is because the house must be cleaned and sanitized before the next tenant moves in
• If the sum of costs for repairs exceeds the amount that you paid for the security deposit(if you paid any), you will have to bear the excess

8. Contact the respective companies to terminate the utilities for current house

• Electricity (Okinawa Electric Power Company: 0120-586-390)
• Water (no need for this if the water bills are withdrawn along with the rent)
• Gas (check the current housing lease contract for contact info)
• Fire insurance (check the housing lease contract or fire insurance policy for contact info)
• Internet (if any)

9. Read and sign the "Agreement on Co-signer"

• This is an agreement with OIST regarding OIST being your guarantor
• Click here to download the agreement

11. Take the contract to the relocation team to get it signed by OIST, as a guarantor

• Take the "Agreement on Co-signer" as well
• The relocation team will contact you once the contract is signed by OIST

12. Get the contract from the relocation team and take it to the real estate company

• Ensure to get one copy of the contract for you to keep

13. Get the keys for the house from the real estate company

14. Submit a mail forwarding service request to post office

This is a service to automatically forward postal mails/parcels that are addressed to your old address to your new address for one year

• To request the service online click here(available in Japanese language only)
• To request the service by post visit the Resource Center

15. Change the address on various things:

Bureaucratic procedures

If you are moving to a place within the same municipality click here

• Submit a notice of address change to the municipality
• Get a copy of residence certificate with the new address
• Get your new address printed on the resident card

If you are moving to a place in another municipality click here

At the current municipality

• Submit a notice of move-out to the current municipality
• Get a move-out certificate from the current municipality

At the new municipality

• Take the move-out certificate to the municipality you are moving to, and get yourself registered
• Get a copy of residence certificate
• Get your new address printed on the resident card