Flat 35 Loan Ceiling to Be Raised to 120 Million Yen

TOKYO, Dec 23 (News On Japan) - The government is moving to raise the maximum loan amount under the long-term fixed-rate home mortgage program known as Flat 35 to 120 million yen, as it seeks to respond to the continued rise in housing prices.

Flat 35 is a fixed-rate mortgage with a term of up to 35 years, currently allowing borrowers to take out loans of up to 80 million yen, but housing prices have continued to climb, particularly in central urban areas.

According to ruling coalition sources, the government is adjusting plans to lift the loan cap, which has remained unchanged since 2005, to 120 million yen, while also considering lowering interest rates to below their original levels for around three years, with the Japan Housing Finance Agency expected to announce details in the near future.

With the Bank of Japan moving ahead with interest rate hikes, demand for fixed-rate mortgages has been rising, and the changes are also intended to make the system easier for households to use.

Source: FNN

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