Key points
- OCBC is the one Singapore bank whose public page we could confirm lends for Japan: Tokyo only, investment properties only, up to 60% in SGD or 70% in JPY, priced at 3-month cost of funds + 2.75% (SGD) or + 3.50% (JPY), minimum S$200,000 or ¥25m, for Singaporeans, PRs and foreigners working and living in Singapore. Official
- UOB is reported to finance Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Yokohama and Fukuoka at up to 70% for 35 years, but its International Property Loan page returned “Page not found” when we checked on 29 Sep 2026. Ask UOB whether it still lends for Japan. Secondary
- DBS and Maybank Singapore: their public overseas-property pages mention London and Australia (Maybank also Malaysia), not Japan. Secondary
- MAS TDSR applies. MAS Notice 645 defines property as located “in or outside Singapore”, so a Singapore bank's Japan loan counts: all your debt repayments must stay within 55% of gross monthly income, computed at an interest rate of at least 4%. Official
- Japanese lenders almost never lend to Singapore residents: the non-resident products are for Taiwan and Hong Kong residents, or Japanese nationals / PRs abroad. Bank of China's Tokyo branch says residents and non-residents may apply (up to 80%, 30 years) but publishes no rates or nationality rules. Official
- CPF can't be used for overseas property. Official Many buyers use cash or an equity loan on their Singapore home (also under TDSR).
A. Singapore banks’ overseas property loans
| Bank | Japan coverage | Loan-to-value | Pricing | Who / conditions | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OCBC Overseas Property Loan Official | Tokyo only | SGD loan: up to 60% JPY loan: up to 70% of the lower of price or market value | SGD: 3M SGD cost of funds + 2.75% JPY: 3M JPY cost of funds + 3.50% COF level not published as a number | Singaporeans, PRs, foreigners employed and residing in Singapore; age 21+; min S$200,000 or ¥25m; investment properties only; OCBC appoints a panel law firm in Japan (you pay legal costs); tenure not published | 29 Sep 2026 · OCBC |
| UOB International Property Loan Secondary | Reported: Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Yokohama, Fukuoka | Reported: up to 70% | Not published | Reported: up to 35 years, SGD or JPY, age 21–65, buy-to-let; restrictions for Japanese and Australian nationals. The product page now returns “Page not found”; UOB still publishes a solicitor policy for “Tokyo Property Financing”. | 29 Sep 2026 · UOB |
| DBS (Treasures / Private Bank) | Not shown | — | — | Public pages mention London and Australia; ask your relationship manager. | 29 Sep 2026 · DBS Treasures |
| Maybank Singapore Secondary | Not shown | — | — | Search excerpts list London, Australia and Malaysia (page timed out when we checked). | 29 Sep 2026 · Maybank Singapore |
OCBC's page also says: “Other than for Malaysia properties, only properties that are for investment will qualify for this loan.” A holiday home you don't let out is unlikely to qualify; ask the bank.
What MAS rules mean for a Japan loan
- TDSR 55%. For loans granted from 16 December 2021 the total debt servicing ratio threshold is 55% of gross monthly income; loans above it only on an exceptional, documented basis. Official MAS Guidelines on the Application of TDSR for Property Loans, MAS explainer
- Overseas property counts. Notice 645 defines “Property” as residential or non-residential property “located in or outside Singapore”, and says foreign-currency instalments on loans for property outside Singapore are converted to SGD at the prevailing rate for the TDSR test. Official MAS Notice 645, Computation of Total Debt Servicing Ratio for Property Loans
- Stress rate. For a residential purchase with an option to purchase on or after 30 September 2022, the bank computes the instalment at the higher of 4% or the loan's rate. Official
- Whether a Japan loan also counts as an “outstanding housing loan” that lowers your LTV limit on a later Singapore purchase: we have not verified this. Ask the bank before you borrow. Not verified
C. Cash, equity release and CPF
- CPF: the CPF Board says CPF savings can only be used to buy properties in Singapore. Official CPF Board
- Equity loan on your Singapore home: banks lend against a paid-down Singapore private property (“equity term loan”). Notice 645 covers credit facilities “otherwise secured by Property”, so TDSR applies here too. You borrow in SGD, so no yen income is needed, but your Singapore home is the security. Terms: ask your bank. Official
- Cash: most overseas buyers of Japanese homes pay cash; it avoids FX-mismatch on a loan and gives you more negotiating power. Singapore has no exchange controls on remitting SGD abroad Secondary; on the Japanese side the only requirement is the FEFTA report within 20 days (and the bank's usual source-of-funds checks).
Worked examples: a S$1m Tokyo condo (¥123,394,900)
Japan buying costs from our calculator: ¥7,716,432 (S$62,534). Our estimate
1. OCBC-style SGD loan, 60% (S$600,000)
OCBC prices off its 3-month cost of funds, which it doesn't publish as a number, so we show illustrative all-in rates, over an assumed 25-year term (OCBC doesn't publish the Japan tenure). These are not OCBC quotes. Our estimate
| All-in rate (illustrative) | Monthly repayment | Total interest over 25 yrs |
|---|---|---|
| 4.0% | S$3,167 | S$350,106 |
| 5.0% | S$3,508 | S$452,262 |
| 6.0% | S$3,866 | S$559,743 |
- Cash needed at purchase: 40% down S$400,000 + Japan buying costs S$62,534 = S$462,534, plus the bank's legal and valuation costs.
- TDSR check: at the 4% stress rate the instalment is S$3,167/month, so with no other debts you need gross income of at least S$5,758/month (S$69,099 a year) to stay within 55%.
- A JPY loan at OCBC can go to 70% (¥86,376,430), but your repayments then move with the yen (see below).
2. Japanese lender for non-residents (for comparison)
Our calculator's non-resident default: 40% down, 2.45% variable, 20 years (secondary sources: median of reported rates for Taiwan / Hong Kong residents' products, which Singapore residents generally can't use). Loan ¥74,036,940: ¥390,523/month (S$3,165); cash at purchase including loan fees ¥58,999,305 (S$478,134). Secondary
3. Cash
Price + Japan buying costs = S$1,062,534 (¥131,111,332). Try other prices and loan terms in the calculator (choose SGD).
Currency risk
The yen has weakened a lot against the Singapore dollar: the ECB yearly average went from ¥83.5 per S$1 in 2014 to ¥124.0 in 2026 (year to date). Official If you borrow in SGD to buy a yen asset, a stronger yen raises your SGD value; a weaker yen lowers it. If you borrow in JPY, the loan and the property move together, but your SGD salary pays a yen instalment, and under Notice 645 the bank converts that instalment into SGD for the TDSR test. ECB euro foreign exchange reference rates
FAQ
Which Singapore banks give loans for Japan property?
OCBC publishes a Japan (Tokyo) overseas property loan for investment properties: up to 60% in SGD or 70% in JPY. UOB is reported to lend for five Japanese cities, but its product page was offline when we checked. We found no Japan product on DBS's or Maybank Singapore's public pages.
Can I get a Japanese mortgage as a Singaporean living in Singapore?
Very unlikely from a Japanese bank: non-resident products are for Taiwan and Hong Kong residents, or Japanese nationals and PRs abroad. Bank of China's Tokyo branch says non-residents may apply, without published criteria.
Does TDSR apply to an overseas property loan?
Yes, for loans from Singapore banks. MAS Notice 645 covers property “located in or outside Singapore”; the limit is 55% of gross monthly income, tested at a rate of at least 4%.
Can I use CPF for a Japan property?
No. CPF savings can only be used for property in Singapore.
Can I finance a Niseko or Hakuba chalet?
OCBC's Japan loan is for Tokyo only and the UOB list reported does not include ski areas. We found no loan for resort homes for Singapore residents; most are bought with cash or an equity loan at home.
Do you arrange loans?
No. We are not a lender, bank agent or loan intermediary, we receive no fees from banks and we don't pass your details to banks.
Talk to a vetted Japanese broker
We are not a real estate broker, lender or loan intermediary, and we receive no fees from banks. We don't arrange, introduce or broker loans (we hold no bank-agency licence) and we never pass your details to banks. Tell us your budget, area and use, and we can introduce licensed Japanese brokers (宅地建物取引業者) who work in English. We don't charge buyers; brokers may pay us a referral fee.
Sources
- OCBC: Overseas Property Loan (Japan: Tokyo): www.ocbc.com (read 29 Sep 2026)
- OCBC: Terms and conditions governing Japan property loans (TC/JAP/DEC24), PDF: www.ocbc.com (read 29 Sep 2026)
- UOB: International Property Loan page (returned “Page not found” on 29 Sep 2026): www.uob.com.sg (read 29 Sep 2026)
- UOB: Standard Mortgage Policies (Tokyo Property Financing), for panel solicitors, PDF: www.uob.com.sg (read 29 Sep 2026)
- DBS Treasures: Overseas property financing: www.dbs.com.sg (read 29 Sep 2026)
- DBS Private Bank: Overseas property financing: www.dbs.com.sg (read 29 Sep 2026)
- Maybank Singapore: Overseas Property Loan: www.maybank2u.com.sg (read 29 Sep 2026)
- MAS Notice 645, Computation of Total Debt Servicing Ratio for Property Loans (last revised 21 Aug 2025), PDF: www.mas.gov.sg (read 29 Sep 2026)
- MAS Guidelines on the Application of TDSR for Property Loans (15 Dec 2021), PDF: www.mas.gov.sg (read 29 Sep 2026)
- MAS explainer: Rules for new housing loans (TDSR ≤ 55%): www.mas.gov.sg (read 29 Sep 2026)
- MAS Notice 754, Exchange Control Liberalisation (exemptions from the Exchange Control Act, last revised 25 May 1978): www.mas.gov.sg (read 29 Sep 2026)
- CPF Board: Can I use my CPF savings to buy properties overseas?: www.cpf.gov.sg (read 29 Sep 2026)
- Bank of China Tokyo: personal housing loan (Japanese): www.bankofchina.com (read 29 Sep 2026)
- Ministry of Finance Japan: reporting of real estate acquisitions by non-residents (English): www.mof.go.jp (read 29 Sep 2026)
- ECB euro foreign exchange reference rates (JPY/SGD cross rate): www.ecb.europa.eu (read 29 Sep 2026)
Japanese tax figures come from our calculator (site/assets/tax-calc.js), whose rates were checked against NTA, MIC, MLIT, the Tokyo Bureau of Taxation and e-Gov on 26 Sep 2026. Exchange rate: S$1 = ¥123.39 (ECB reference rates, 2026-09-25). Indicative only.
Last reviewed: 29 Sep 2026. Rates, stamp duties and bank products change; check the linked official sources and confirm with a licensed professional before acting.
Disclaimer. General information, not financial, legal or tax advice, and not a loan offer. Japan House Prices is not a lender, not a bank agent (銀行代理業) or money lender, and not a real estate broker (宅地建物取引業者). We do not arrange or introduce loans and receive no fees from banks. If you request an introduction, a licensed Japanese real estate broker handles all property explanations and transactions; brokers may pay us a referral fee. You pay nothing to us.