Flat 35 FAQ
Questions on what Flat 35 is, eligibility, property standards, and the discount programs.
This hub answers the most common questions about the Flat 35 fully fixed-rate mortgage.
Key points
- Direct answers to common questions, each linking to a detailed guide.
- Answers reflect the higher-rate 2026 environment and verified sources.
- Use the linked guides and calculators for the full decision.
- Educational only — confirm material decisions with the relevant professional.
About this FAQ hub
This hub answers the most common questions about the Flat 35 fully fixed-rate mortgage. It gathers 11 of the most common questions on this topic — questions on what flat 35 is, eligibility, property standards, and the discount programs — each with a short, direct answer and a link to the guide that covers it in full.
The answers reflect Japan’s higher-rate 2026 environment rather than the near-zero conditions of earlier years: the Bank of Japan’s operating guideline was around 1.0% in mid-2026, and several lenders pre-announced further increases, so the answers assume rates can rise. Advertised rates are execution-month or example figures verified in 2026, not guaranteed offers, and only final underwriting and execution determine your actual rate.
How to use these answers
Treat each answer as a starting point rather than a verdict. It summarises the general rule, but your own situation — residence status, income type, the specific property, and the lender — determines the outcome, and mortgage approval is both borrower-specific and property-specific. Follow the linked guides for the full decision, use the calculators to model your own numbers, and confirm anything material with the lender, a licensed real-estate broker, a judicial scrivener, or a tax accountant.
For any mortgage question, obtain a dated written quotation rather than relying on a headline rate or a comparison ranking: pricing changes monthly, discounts can depend on conditions you must maintain, and referral economics can influence which products a ranking features. Where a figure is not disclosed on a lender’s page — the effective all-fee cost, the real minimum income, or non-permanent-resident eligibility — treat it as requiring a direct quotation, not something to infer.
Who this is for
- Anyone with quick questions on this topic
- Buyers and borrowers doing initial research
What this is not
- A substitute for professional advice
- These are educational summaries; confirm material decisions with the lender, broker, or a licensed professional.
Frequently asked questions
What is Flat 35?
A JHF-partnered, fully fixed-rate mortgage for eligible borrowers and homes, provided through participating financial institutions.
Is Flat 35 a government loan?
It is provided through participating financial institutions under JHF purchase or guarantee structures — not a direct government loan.
Is Flat 35 always 35 years?
No. Shorter Flat 20 and eligible longer Flat 50 structures exist.
Is Flat 35’s rate the same everywhere?
Base pricing may cluster, but lender fees and products differ — compare the total.
Can Flat 35 finance a used home?
Yes, if eligibility and the property’s technical requirements are met.
Can Flat 35 finance a second home?
Certain genuine second-home uses may qualify; confirm the current conditions.
Can Flat 35 finance an investment property?
No, not as an ordinary rental-investment loan.
What is Flat 35S?
A rate-reduction framework for homes meeting qualifying housing-performance standards, applying for specified initial years.
What is Flat 35 Child-Rearing Plus?
A point-based rate reduction connected to qualifying household and housing conditions, applying for specified initial years.
Are Flat 35 discounts permanent?
No. Many point reductions apply for specified initial years, not the full term.
What debt ratios does Flat 35 use?
Commonly 30% of income below ¥4 million and 35% at ¥4 million or more.