A master directory of banks, online lenders, regional institutions, Flat 35 providers, and specialists.
Japan’s mortgage market spans megabanks, online banks, regional and shinkin banks, labor banks, agricultural cooperatives, Flat 35 providers, and foreign-resident specialists — a screened shortlist based on your and the property’s eligibility beats any national "best lender" ranking.
Japan’s mortgage market includes the megabanks (MUFG, Mizuho, SMBC) and large nationwide institutions (Resona), online banks (au Jibun Bank, Sumishin SBI Net Bank, PayPay Bank, Sony Bank, Rakuten Bank, AEON Bank), regional banks, shinkin banks, labor (rokin) banks, agricultural cooperatives (JA), and Flat 35 originators such as ARUHI. Foreign-resident specialists include PRESTIA, Tokyo Star Bank, and Suruga Bank. Each competes differently — online banks on rate and digital process, branch banks on advice and exception handling, regional institutions on local relationships.
Regional institutions may offer competitive rates to residents, employees, or purchasers within their service areas, but may impose geographic, payroll, membership, employer, or property-location restrictions. That is why a nationwide "best lender" ranking is less useful than a screened shortlist based on your residence status, income type, and the specific property. Build a shortlist covering a major bank, an online bank, a relationship or regional bank, and any specialist route you need (Flat 35 or a foreign-resident lender), then compare dated quotations on the same LTV, term, and holding period.
Key points to carry away: Megabanks and online banks compete on rate, process, and insurance riders; Regional banks, shinkin, labor banks, and JA may have geographic or membership rules; Flat 35 providers cluster on base rate but differ on fees; A screened shortlist beats a national ranking because eligibility is borrower- and property-specific. Use the linked guides and calculators for the full decision, and confirm anything material with the lender, a licensed broker, a judicial scrivener, or a tax accountant before you act.
Fixed-rate mortgage · Japan Housing Finance Agency
A long-term fixed-rate mortgage program backed by the Japan Housing Finance Agency, offered via partner lenders and often accessible without permanent residency.
Fees: Rate and fees vary by lender and loan-to-value — verify current terms.
Enough to cover a major bank, an online bank, a relationship bank, and any specialist route — without excessive simultaneous inquiries.
Use the same execution date, LTV, term, insurance, fees, and holding period for every quote.