NEWS

The historical background of key money is a bit complex, and its exact origin is unclear. Generally, it's considered a custom where tenants show their gratitude to landlords by paying money when renting a property, but in reality, various factors are involved.

In ancient Japan, there was a high demand for rental housing, but the supply was insufficient. Despite the limited availability of properties, many people were searching for places to live. It's said that during this time, the custom of tenants paying money to landlords as a gesture of gratitude emerged.

After World War II, the same situation of housing shortage and economic turmoil continued. It's believed that during this period, key money became established as a part of the income that landlords could secure.

However, since there are no clear records indicating when and why the obligation to pay key money was established, it's thought that multiple factors contributed to its emergence.

Recently, there has been an increase in properties where key money is not required, but it's important to understand that popular properties often still require key money! Also, properties without key money may have higher rent, so just because there's no key money doesn't mean it's necessarily a cheaper option—it might end up costing you more in the long run!