Shuzen-tsumitatekin (repair reserve fund)

Shuzen-tsumitatekin is the long-term reserve every condo owner pays into each month so the building can afford major works — exterior repainting, waterproofing, pipe replacement, elevator overhaul — typically on a 12-to-15-year cycle. It is paid on top of kanrihi and is the line item foreign buyers most often underestimate, because new buildings deliberately start it low and ramp it up steeply over time. Before buying, ask for the long-term repair plan and the current reserve balance: an underfunded building means a future lump-sum special assessment landing on whoever owns the unit then, which could be you. A thin reserve is a real red flag, not a paperwork detail.