In short
The deposit is money held on your behalf, and the landlord must return whatever is left after unpaid rent and your share of restoration costs. Normal wear and tear and age-related deterioration are the landlord's cost, not yours — but most contracts also fix a cleaning fee, so getting the full amount back is uncommon.
The deposit is held, not spent
The security deposit (shikikin) secures unpaid rent and the cost of putting the apartment back in order when you leave. Japan's Civil Code makes the position explicit: once the lease ends and you've moved out, the landlord must return the balance after legitimate deductions. So the real question is never whether you get it back — it's how much comes off first.
Restoration doesn't mean 'as new'
Genjō kaifuku, usually translated as 'restoration to original condition', does not mean returning the apartment to showroom condition. Japan's national guidelines draw the line clearly: ordinary wear from daily life and age-related deterioration are the landlord's cost, and the tenant pays only for damage caused intentionally, negligently, or by failing to look after the place.
| Situation | Who pays |
|---|---|
| Shallow dents in flooring from furniture | Landlord |
| Wallpaper or flooring faded by sunlight | Landlord |
| Marks on the wall behind a fridge or TV | Landlord |
| Wallpaper stained and smelling of smoke | Tenant |
| Pet scratches and odour | Tenant |
| Mould left untreated after a leak | Tenant |
| Walls or floors damaged while moving in or out | Tenant |
The cleaning clause: the deduction almost everyone gets
Even if you leave the apartment spotless, most leases contain a special clause making you responsible for professional cleaning at move-out — commonly ¥30,000–70,000 depending on size. Where the amount is stated clearly in the contract you signed, such clauses are generally treated as valid. Before signing, check whether the cleaning fee is a fixed sum or calculated after you leave.
Three things to do
- Photograph everything on your first day — existing scratches, stains, the condition of every appliance. This is your strongest evidence two years later.
- Don't rush to sign at the move-out inspection. Ask for an itemized breakdown of anything you question.
- Keep the statement and the invoice. The deposit settlement usually arrives one to two months after you move out; chase it if it doesn't.
Read next
→What Does It Really Cost to Move Into an Apartment in Japan?→What Is Key Money (Reikin) in Japan? Why You Never Get It Back→Can You Break a Lease Early in Japan? Are There Penalties?ieree explains the deposit settlement and any cleaning clause in English before you sign, so you know roughly what will be deducted when you eventually leave. Ask us on LINE.