>> Read this information in Japanese／日本語で読む

When renting an apartment in Japan, a guarantor such as a "joint guarantor" is required in most cases. If you do not have any relatives in Japan to act as a guarantor, there are two guarantor systems that international students can use.

**The "Tohoku University Housing Rent Joint Guarantor System" in which the university acts as an institutional guarantor, ended in December 2024. Those currently enrolled can continue to use the system only if they are in the same program (undergraduate/master/doctor) at the time of contract renewal of the current apartment.

1. "Sumuraku Plan"

This plan is strongly recommended by Tohoku University, which started in January 2025. It can be mostly used in properties handled by the Tohoku University COOP. (In Japanese, "sumu" means to live or dwell, and "raku" means easy or comfortable.)

★ Recommended reasons:

・ Multilingual call center for tenants available 24 hours a day
(You can receive language support "anytime" when unsure of communicating with the landlord and management company or in an emergency.)
・There is an emergency rush service in case of an accident
・Renewal and cancellation of apartments are also supported
・Since rental contracts are stored in the call center, support should be smoothly provided

Check this page for more information such as cost and system ► ► ► "Sumuraku Plan" TU Support

★ How to apply for the Sumuraku plan

You must be enrolled in the "Comprehensive Insurance for International Students Lives Coupled with Gakkensai (Inbound Futai Gakuso)" with a Tenant's Liability Coverage of 10,000,000 yen (I Type*). The application procedures according to the current membership status are as follows．

[Note]
*1 and 2: You may be able to apply if you can confirm payment before receiving the "Insurance Certificate".
* "I Type*" is the unique name of the School of Science and does not apply to other schools.

2. Guarantor service provided by rental guarantor companies

You can apply for the guarantor service offered by rental guarantor companies often introduced by real estate agents. The cost varies depending on the company, and 50% to 100% of the rent is usually paid at the time of the first contract and the renewal.

*If you ask the Tohoku University International Support Center to find an apartment, the center usually introduces you to a property that uses this service.

** From here, the information is about the procedures for the current Guarantor System members.

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When renewing an apartment contract

When renewing the contract of your current apartment, you can renew the "Tohoku University Housing Rent Joint Guarantor System" if you are still in the same program (undergraduate/master/doctoral) as you signed the previous contract.

[Note] If you have changed your program due to advancement, please terminate the current Guarantor System (by Tohoku University) by the procedures below, "When terminating the Guarantor System," and use the new guarantor system instead in Section 1 or 2 above.

Please submit a "Renewal Application".
*Form submission is required even if the contract renewal is automatically processed.

・Renewal Application (Form 6) 【Printed double-sided】
・Invoice Request for Housing Rent Joint Guarantor System (Renter's Insurance) [*]
* When you need an urgent application request, please first submit the invoice request to DiRECT.

[NOTE]
- You can choose "6 months" for the insurance period only if renewing your apartment contract for 6 months.
- Only when you are asked to submit the contract papers, please submit 2 sets of Contract papers (Form 2 (1) & Form 2 (2)) in addition to the above items.

When moving out of the apartment, terminating the Guarantor System

When leaving the apartment due to graduation, moving to a new apartment, or renewing the apartment contract after advancement, you must terminate the "Tohoku University Housing Rent Joint Guarantor System" by submitting the "Notice of Extinction," etc.

・Notice of Termination (Form 5) 【Printed double-sided】
・Roommate himself/herself should submit Notice of Termination for Cohabitants (Form 8)【Printed double-sided】

[NOTE]
If the remaining period of the insurance coverage is longer than a month, a refund can be made upon request. Inform DiRECT of your bank account by submitting a copy of the bank book or a cash card. [The bank must be in Japan, and it can be an account other than your own, such as a friend's. (It will take 1 to 2 months to pay into your account.)

Updated on March 26, 2025