Hi, I’m looking to purchase a property in Japan, I was wondering do I need a jitsuin (hanko, seal) or will it be fine to sign with a signature like how most western countries accept. Since 2021 the requirement for hanko has changed, so I’m not sure if it’s still required.
Anyone has similar experience or know the answer?
Thank you in advance.
That’s a good question. I’m also looking to buy property but I already have a hanko. I wouldn’t worry about it too much if I were you. If you’re based in Japan, registering a seal isn’t that expensive (especially in the context of a property purchase) and relatively quick. If you’re not in Japan there’s no way they’ll expect a seal. In the past when doing official company business, overseas directors (of a company that I was CEO of) used their signature for documents. For very official documents, they did require a verification of their signature from a notary though.