Moving into Tokyo from another Tier 1 market means re-baselining occupancy economics in JPY, re-running headcount density against local norms, and translating lease terminology to local conventions.

  • Re-baseline occupancy in JPY (then USD for comparison).
  • Local lease conventions differ — translate terms via the Lease Term Translator.
  • Density assumptions vary materially by region; revalidate.
  • Build local counsel and broker relationships before the LOI, not after.

Tokyo relocation guide

Moving into Tokyo from another Tier 1 market means re-baselining occupancy economics in JPY, re-running headcount density against local norms, and translating lease terminology to local conventions.

TL;DR

  • Re-baseline occupancy in JPY (then USD for comparison).
  • Local lease conventions differ — translate terms via the Lease Term Translator.
  • Density assumptions vary materially by region; revalidate.
  • Build local counsel and broker relationships before the LOI, not after.

Re-baseline economics

Headline Tokyo rent is 50000 JPY/sqft/yr ($113 USD). Translate your incumbent occupancy cost-per-seat to the same basis using the Occupancy Cost tool. Most cross-border moves underestimate fit-out">fit-out timeline and overestimate density transferability.

Translate the contract

Tokyo leases are typically 5-7 years with a 2-year tenant notice. Standard leases are 'fixed-term' (teiki shakuya) or 'ordinary' (futsu shakuya) — fixed-term is increasingly common for Grade A. Rent is base + common-area maintenance billed separately. Restoration to original (genjo kaifuku) is contractual and significant. Personal seal (jitsuin) requirements apply. Use the Lease Term Translator to map terminology before reading the LOI.

Build the local stack

Engage a tenant-rep broker, local counsel, an MEP/AV designer with Tokyo project history, and a project manager who has run a Class A fit-out in this market in the last 24 months.

Key facts

cityTokyo
countryJapan
regionAPAC
classARentLocal50000 JPY/sqft/yr
classARentUsd$113/sqft/yr
vacancy4.6%
typicalLeaseYears5
typicalRentFreeMonths4
submarkets6
primeYieldPct3%

Frequently asked questions

Can I keep the same density assumption when moving to Tokyo?
Not without revalidation. Local density norms differ; loss factors differ; meeting-room intensity expectations differ. Re-run the Office Space Calculator with Tokyo-specific defaults.

Editorial provenance

Reviewed by Kenji Watanabe — APAC contributing editor. Last updated 2026-04-15. See our methodology and editorial standards.

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