Moving your family to Tokyo in 2026 requires navigating official administrative channels, housing contract standards, and city support systems. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) offers multilingual helplines, dispute-prevention guidance for tenants, and legal advice services to assist foreign parents establishing a household. Confirming official procedures early and securing your initial housing helps create a stable transition for daily life and commuting routines.
Where can foreign families find official support and guidance in Tokyo?
Navigating life in a new city becomes significantly easier when relying on designated public resources. The Tokyo Intercultural Portal Site compiles intercultural information so foreign residents can live peacefully and healthily.
For direct assistance, several official helplines and counters are available:
- Tokyo Metropolitan Government Consultation Service: Offers general consultation for foreign residents and provides legal advice by a lawyer accompanied by English or Chinese interpreters.
- Tokyo Multilingual Consultation Navi (TMC Navi): Serves as a primary hotline offering telephone consultations in multiple languages. TMC Navi directs callers to specialized helplines and provides interpretation support when dealing with public institutions.
- Tokyo Metropolitan Government Foreign Residents' Advisory Center: Located on the 35th floor (north side) of the TMG No. 1 Building (Phone: 03-5320-7744).
Many newcomers stay in a furnished monthly apartment first while researching suitable neighborhoods, visiting public offices, and planning daily travel routes.
How can parents access medical, emergency, and labor information?
Setting up a household with children requires quick access to essential healthcare, safety, and employment support services established by TMG:
- Medical Services: The Tokyo Medical Information Site for Foreign Tourists and Residents helps families locate medical facilities and understand procedure details when calling an ambulance. Available in Japanese, English, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, and Korean (with AI translations for other languages).
- Disaster Preparedness: The Disaster Prevention Information portal provides real-time disaster updates, official evacuation orders, and safety guidelines.
- Work and Labor Advice: Working parents can consult TOKYO Hataraku Net's Labor Consultation Service for Foreign Workers, which provides access to *The Foreign Workers' Handbook* and details on interpretation services.
- Taxes and Municipal Guidance: General information regarding metropolitan taxes is accessible by tax type or specific situation through official TMG tax portals.
What rental rules should foreign families know before signing a lease?
To prevent common misunderstandings between landlords and tenants, TMG published the official Guidelines for Preventing Tenant-Landlord Disputes. The document explains contract conventions, standard repair responsibilities during a move-in, and clear criteria for restoring a rental property to its original state upon moving out.
Official publications include:
- Full Guidelines: An 86-page detailed reference manual available in English.
- Summary Version: An 8-page introductory guide translated into English, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Tagalog, and Nepali.
Families can download these guidelines online from the Office for Housing Policy website or pick up printed summary booklets at designated municipal locations:
- TMG Foreign Residents' Advisory Center (TMG No. 1 Building, 35th floor, north side)
- Realty Section, Housing Planning Department (TMG No. 2 Building, 3rd floor, north side; Japanese language only, Phone: 03-5320-5071)
- Tokyo Metropolitan Comprehensive Consumer Center (Phone: 03-3235-1155)
- Business Development Center Tokyo (Phone: 03-6269-9981)
- One Stop Business Establishment Center (Phone: 03-3582-4934)
- Tokyo Head Office of the All Japan Real Estate Association and the Real Estate Consulting Office of the Tokyo Real Estate Public Interest Incorporated Association (Japanese language assistance only)
- Local government office help desks across Tokyo
Finding a place to stay
Arranging temporary housing after your Certificate of Eligibility or visa is finalized—and prior to your formal relocation date—allows your family to arrive smoothly without the pressure of immediately signing a long-term contract. Establishing a temporary home base gives parents time to inspect neighborhood commuting options, visit local government counters, and review rental guidelines in person. OHAYO Stay offers furnished monthly apartments and rooms in Tokyo. Most homes have a minimum stay of 30 nights (shown on each listing). No guarantor, no key money and no agency fee; booking is online with a passport or ID and a credit card. Always verify individual visa and official residency requirements directly with official government agencies.