New job in Japan: how to rent without enough payslips

September 8, 2026

Not having enough payslips does not guarantee rejection. An employment contract, 労働条件通知書, offer letter, employment certificate, projected-income certificate, and bank balance may support the application.

Have you just joined a company in Japan and not yet received 1–3 months of payslips? That does not automatically mean you cannot rent a home. The landlord, management company, and rent guarantor want to establish whether the job is real, when it starts, the employment form, and whether expected income can cover rent.

When sufficient 給与明細 do not yet exist, ask whether you may combine an 雇用契約書, 労働条件通知書, 内定通知書, 在職証明書, projected-income evidence, and bank-balance proof. Acceptance depends on the property, landlord, manager, and guarantor. No substitute package is guaranteed everywhere.

Quick choice by employment status

Your status	Documents to prioritize	Helpful additions
Contract signed but employment has not begun	内定通知書, 雇用契約書, or 労働条件通知書	Paper showing start date and salary; balance proof
Started work but no first payslip	在職証明書 plus 雇用契約書/労働条件通知書	社員証, projected-salary letter, bank statement
One payslip exists but 3 are requested	Existing slip plus 在職証明書 and employment terms	Explain joining date and first payday
In probation	Contract or notice showing probation period and pay	Employment confirmation, balance, company contact
Changed jobs and has prior-company income	New-job file plus old income evidence if accepted	源泉徴収票, separation paper, salary-deposit statement

Do not send a thick stack before asking. Tell the agent your joining date, available documents, and first payday, then have them confirm the acceptable package with the screening party.

Why are payslips commonly requested?

A payslip is a simple way to compare employment and money actually paid. For a new employee, however, a missing slip may merely mean payday has not arrived.

給与明細 shows gross or paid salary, deductions, and payer.
Many applications request the latest 1–3 months, but that is screening practice, not one compulsory number for every property.
A new worker should prove that future income has an objective basis, not invent a document that cannot yet exist.
Screening may compare joining date, payday, contract type, and rent.
The application, employer documents, and telephone confirmation must agree.

An old employer's payslip does not prove current income at the new company. It may support income history, but the new-job file remains central.

Substitute-document package to prepare

1. 労働条件通知書 or 雇用契約書

This is often the strongest evidence before payslips exist. Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare says employers must disclose pay, working hours, and other employment conditions when forming the employment contract; many items must be provided in writing or an eligible electronic form.

Employee name should match passport and residence card.
Company name and address should be clear.
Employment start date should appear.
Employment type, contract term, and renewal conditions should be identifiable.
Monthly or hourly pay, or the calculation method, should appear.
Fixed allowances counted as income should be separated.

If a document says only “hired” without pay or start date, it is weaker evidence of rent-paying capacity. Ask HR for a supplemental employment-terms or projected-income certificate.

2. 内定通知書 or 採用通知書

An offer or hiring notice is useful after acceptance but before starting work. Prefer an official company document rather than only a screenshot of a chat.

It names the person hired.
It identifies the company and contact details.
It gives the planned start date.
It states the employment form.
Ideally, it states salary or expected income.
It includes a seal, signature, or other issuer verification where the company uses one.

A recruitment email may supplement the file, but ask the employer whether it can issue an 内定通知書, 採用通知書, or 労働条件通知書 in PDF or paper form.

3. 在職証明書

After work begins, a 在職証明書 confirms that you are actually employed. Some employers list only name, department, and joining date; others may add employment type or income.

Request it after the joining date.
Check that the issue date is recent.
Ask for joining date and contract type where possible.
If salary proof is needed, ask whether 月額給与 or 年収見込 can be included.
Prepare a telephone number for the department that can verify it.

Never edit or splice company documents yourself. Request a corrected or supplemental letter when information is missing.

4. Projected-income certificate

Some screeners accept a 収入見込証明書, 給与支払見込証明書, or their own form. UR, for example, instructs workers employed for under 1 year to use UR's prescribed income certificate. A person due to start work with no current income may also use that form together with employment evidence.

Ask the agent whether a prescribed form exists.
Do not create a form and assume it will be accepted.
Give the official form to HR for completion and certification.
Check whether the period, base salary, allowances, and bonus are separated.
Declare only income the employer can verify.

UR's example does not mean every private property must accept UR's form. The lesson is that a screening organization may maintain a special form for newly hired applicants.

5. Balance proof and incoming-payment history

A 預金残高証明書, bankbook copy, or statement can support your ability to pay while salary history is incomplete. It is normally supporting evidence, not an automatic replacement for employment proof.

Use an account in the applicant's name.
Show name, issue date, and balance; redact unrelated transactions only with the recipient's agreement.
Ask whether a translation is needed for a foreign-language statement.
Do not borrow funds briefly merely to photograph a balance and withdraw them.
Explain an unusual large transfer if asked.

The basic rental file is still required

This article addresses only the substitution for missing payslips. It does not replace the ordinary rental-application package. Foreign residents are usually still asked for identity, residence, and contact information.

Group	Common examples	Note
Identity and residence	Passport; front and back of residence card	Check name, address, status, and period of stay
Address	住民票 if requested	Obtain only required data; avoid My Number unless needed
Contact	Japanese telephone number and email	Be reachable during screening
Payment	Bank account or payment information	Account name should match
Emergency contact	Person in Japan or someone meeting screener rules	Ask permission and provide accurate details

Do not submit personal My Number data unless requested. Ask for a secure method and purpose when sending a residence-card copy.

How to ask the employer for a certificate

Tell HR that the paper is for 賃貸住宅の入居審査 and ask which document can show the joining date and expected income. Explaining the purpose helps HR choose the right form.

Give your full name exactly as on identification.
State the needed date while allowing reasonable processing time.
Ask whether an officially verified PDF or electronic seal is available.
Send HR the original prescribed form if the manager supplies one.
Never ask the employer to certify money absent from the employment terms.

Sample request: “賃貸住宅の入居審査に使用するため、入社日と月額給与（または年収見込）が確認できる在職証明書または収入見込証明書を発行していただけますでしょうか。”

In what order should you submit?

Tell the agent immediately that you recently joined and lack enough payslips.
Ask exactly how many months are requested and what substitutes are accepted.
Ask for the screening management company or guarantor's name if it can be disclosed.
Request 労働条件通知書, 在職証明書, or the proper income form from HR.
Prepare the standard identity, residence, contact, and payment papers.
Arrange a timeline: offer date, joining date, and first payday.
Submit clear, complete files without cutting off employer name or salary.
Give advance notice of convenient hours for verification calls.
Supply the first payslip later if the screener requests it after issue.

Early disclosure helps the agent select a compatible property and guarantor. Do not sign or transfer money merely because someone verbally says approval is “certain.”

If you are in probation

Probation does not automatically cause rejection, but screening may examine its length, probation pay, and conditions for regular employment.

Submit the page clearly stating the probation period.
Show probation pay and post-probation pay if different.
Do not claim “permanent regular employee” if the contract says otherwise.
Add a 在職証明書 after employment starts.
Choose rent affordable from guaranteed probation-period income.

If the contract makes income highly variable, have the agent ask how the screener calculates it before applying.

If the first payslip is low or partial

The first slip may be low because you joined mid-month, worked a partial pay period, or allowances have not yet begun. Submitting it without explanation can understate normal income.

Attach a document stating the contractual monthly salary.
State the joining date and payroll cutoff.
State the first payday.
If available, ask HR to confirm that it is partial-month pay.
Do not annualize daily pay and declare it official unless the employer confirms it.

Should you use old-company income?

It may be supporting evidence if accepted, particularly for a job change without a gap. But an old 源泉徴収票 or payslip shows history; it does not establish that the new job exists.

Make the new-job evidence primary.
Use 源泉徴収票 to show prior-year income where appropriate.
Add old salary-deposit statements if helpful.
Do not hide that you left the former employer.
Clearly explain the old end date and new start date.

If documents are still insufficient

Do not alter papers or inflate income. Ask about lawful options for that specific property.

Choose lower rent relative to expected income.
Ask whether another guarantor company is permitted by the landlord.
Ask whether an eligible guarantor or rent supporter can be added.
Ask about a corporate lease if the employer offers 社宅 or 法人契約.
Consider an option with its own standards and forms, such as UR, if suitable.
Delay application until the first payslip exists if timing allows.

Each option has its own conditions and costs. Do not pay a non-refundable deposit before understanding whether a newly employed applicant is eligible.

Common mistakes

Writing “employed for 3 months” after only recently joining.
Sending only an offer email without start date or salary.
Submitting a contract missing the signature or salary page.
Using former payslips without disclosing the job change.
Declaring uncertain bonuses as salary.
Letting HR and the application state different contract types.
Missing verification calls from the guarantor.
Sending My Number or unnecessary personal data in copies.

Frequently asked questions

Can I apply with no payslip at all?

Possibly, if that property and screener accept employment and projected-income evidence. Ask which 内定通知書, 雇用契約書, 労働条件通知書, or 収入見込証明書 form they accept.

Is an employment contract alone enough?

It cannot be guaranteed. A contract with start date and salary is strong, but screening may still ask for 在職証明書, balance proof, an emergency contact, or a payslip after issue.

I have worked 1 month. Can I submit 1 payslip?

Submit the available slip and employer papers. If the slip is for a partial month, explain the joining date, pay period, and contractual salary.

Does the employer need to stamp the document?

It depends on the form and recipient. Many companies issue official electronic documents, while some screeners require a seal or contact details. Obtain the requirement before asking HR.

What bank balance guarantees acceptance?

No universal amount guarantees approval. Balance is judged with rent, expected income, occupants, initial costs, and the screener's rules.

Do substitutes make the application weaker?

There is less actual pay history, so review may be closer. Still, consistent documents, affordable rent, and verifiable employment are stronger than a larger contradictory file.

Final checklist

Disclose immediately that you recently joined.
Confirm accepted substitutes before filing.
Prepare a document showing start date and salary.
Request 在職証明書 after starting work.
Submit every payslip already issued, even fewer than 3.
Explain a partial first payslip.
Keep all employment details consistent.
Be ready for verification calls.
Send only necessary personal data.

Acceptance and screening results depend on the property, landlord, management company, and guarantor. Ask the agent to confirm in writing which substitute package will be accepted before applying or transferring money.

Before you apply, check your budget against the properties currently listed: the monthly total and the move-in cost are both itemised there.