Contribution to the May 2026 Issue of 'Zeikei Tsushin': Explained by Yayoi Takayama of VSG Inheritance Tax Accountant Corporation
Tax accountant Yayoi Takayama from VSG Inheritance Tax Accountant Corporation contributed an article to the May 2026 issue of the tax journal 'Zeikei Tsushin.' The article comprehensively explains the flow of declaring real estate capital gains and tax calculation methods, responding to the increasing number of declarations due to rising land prices.
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- 📰 Published: April 14, 2026 at 19:00
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We are pleased to announce that Tax Accountant Yayoi Takayama, belonging to VSG Inheritance Tax Accountant Corporation (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Representative Tax Accountant: Hiroaki Furuoya), has contributed an article to the special feature "Measures based on the increase in declarations: Declarations of real estate capital gains and requirements for special provisions" in the May 2026 issue of the tax specialty journal 'Zeikei Tsushin' published by Zeimu Keiri Kyokai, under the theme "Basic flow of capital gains declaration and calculation method of tax amount."
In recent years, real estate prices have continued to rise, and interest in tax responses accompanying real estate transfers has increased further.
According to the "Status of final tax returns for income tax, consumption tax, and gift tax for 2024 (press release material)" published by the National Tax Agency, the number of people declaring capital gains from land, etc. was 580,000 (up 4.3% YoY), of which 390,000 had income amounts (up 3.4% YoY), and the income amount was 6.4993 trillion yen (up 6.8% YoY).
This increase in declarations indicates the growing practical importance of calculating capital gains and applying special provisions.
Furthermore, in the "Summary of Prefectural Land Price Survey Results for 2024" published by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, residential land prices in the three major metropolitan areas rose for the third consecutive year, and the margin of increase expanded.
Against the backdrop of soaring housing prices and an active real estate market, situations where individuals face declaring capital gains, such as selling a family home or transferring a vacant inherited house, are increasing.
Capital gains are a field where transaction amounts tend to be large, and the difference in tax amounts can be significant depending on the applicability of special provisions. Therefore, an accurate understanding of basic issues is more important than ever.
This article systematically covers the basic items that must be reliably understood in the practice of declaring capital gains, from long-term and short-term judgment, the concept of the acquisition date, calculation of separated capital gains, sorting out acquisition costs and transfer expenses, confirming various special deductions, to the documents to be attached to the tax return.
If a special provision could be applied but was not, or conversely, if it was applied when it could not be, the impact on the tax amount is large, so the accuracy of judgment in practice is tested. This article organizes the foundational knowledge that forms the basis for such judgments.
It is a must-read for those engaged in tax practice related to real estate transfers.
■ Key points of the contribution (summary)
In declaring capital gains, it is first necessary to appropriately determine whether they are long-term or short-term capital gains. The premise for this, the "date of acquisition," is a point where oversights often occur in practice, because the handling differs depending on the cause of acquisition—not only buying and selling, but also inheritance, bequest, gift, property division, compensatory division, exchange, or replacement.
Furthermore, in tax calculation, it is important to correctly organize each element: revenue amount, acquisition cost, transfer expenses, and special deductions. In particular, the concept of building acquisition costs, the applicability of estimated acquisition costs, the special provision for adding inheritance tax to the acquisition cost when transferring inherited property, and the 30 million yen special deduction for residential property require careful handling, as misjudgments significantly affect the tax amount.
■ Structure of the contributed article
Introduction
I. Long-term and short-term judgment
II. Date of acquisition
- Principle
- Acquisition by inheritance, bequest, or gift without deemed transfer
- Acquisition by inheritance, bequest, or gift with deemed transfer
- Assets acquired at less than half the market value
- Property acquired by property division
- Assets acquired by compensatory division
- Assets acquired subject to special provisions for exchange, replacement, expropriation, etc.
III. Calculation of separated capital gains
- Revenue amount
- Acquisition cost
(1) What constitutes an acquisition cost
(2) In the case of buildings
(3) Estimated acquisition cost
(4) Special provision for adding inheritance tax to acquisition cost when transferring inherited property
- Transfer expenses
- Special deductions
(1) Special 50 million yen deduction for land/buildings transferred for public works
(2) 30 million yen special deduction for transfer of residential property
(3) Special 20 million yen deduction for land transferred for specific land readjustment projects, etc.
(4) Special 15 million yen deduction for land transferred for specific residential land development projects, etc.
(5) Special 10 million yen deduction for transfer of domestic land acquired in 2009 and 2010
(6) 8 million yen special deduction for agricultural land transferred for rationalization of agricultural land holdings
(7) Special 1 million yen deduction for transfer of low-use/unused land, etc.
IV. Documents to attach to the tax return
Conclusion
■ Publication Information
Published Magazine: Zeikei Tsushin (Zeimu Keiri Kyokai Co., Ltd.)
In recent years, real estate prices have continued to rise, and interest in tax responses accompanying real estate transfers has increased further.
According to the "Status of final tax returns for income tax, consumption tax, and gift tax for 2024 (press release material)" published by the National Tax Agency, the number of people declaring capital gains from land, etc. was 580,000 (up 4.3% YoY), of which 390,000 had income amounts (up 3.4% YoY), and the income amount was 6.4993 trillion yen (up 6.8% YoY).
This increase in declarations indicates the growing practical importance of calculating capital gains and applying special provisions.
Furthermore, in the "Summary of Prefectural Land Price Survey Results for 2024" published by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, residential land prices in the three major metropolitan areas rose for the third consecutive year, and the margin of increase expanded.
Against the backdrop of soaring housing prices and an active real estate market, situations where individuals face declaring capital gains, such as selling a family home or transferring a vacant inherited house, are increasing.
Capital gains are a field where transaction amounts tend to be large, and the difference in tax amounts can be significant depending on the applicability of special provisions. Therefore, an accurate understanding of basic issues is more important than ever.
This article systematically covers the basic items that must be reliably understood in the practice of declaring capital gains, from long-term and short-term judgment, the concept of the acquisition date, calculation of separated capital gains, sorting out acquisition costs and transfer expenses, confirming various special deductions, to the documents to be attached to the tax return.
If a special provision could be applied but was not, or conversely, if it was applied when it could not be, the impact on the tax amount is large, so the accuracy of judgment in practice is tested. This article organizes the foundational knowledge that forms the basis for such judgments.
It is a must-read for those engaged in tax practice related to real estate transfers.
■ Key points of the contribution (summary)
In declaring capital gains, it is first necessary to appropriately determine whether they are long-term or short-term capital gains. The premise for this, the "date of acquisition," is a point where oversights often occur in practice, because the handling differs depending on the cause of acquisition—not only buying and selling, but also inheritance, bequest, gift, property division, compensatory division, exchange, or replacement.
Furthermore, in tax calculation, it is important to correctly organize each element: revenue amount, acquisition cost, transfer expenses, and special deductions. In particular, the concept of building acquisition costs, the applicability of estimated acquisition costs, the special provision for adding inheritance tax to the acquisition cost when transferring inherited property, and the 30 million yen special deduction for residential property require careful handling, as misjudgments significantly affect the tax amount.
■ Structure of the contributed article
Introduction
I. Long-term and short-term judgment
II. Date of acquisition
- Principle
- Acquisition by inheritance, bequest, or gift without deemed transfer
- Acquisition by inheritance, bequest, or gift with deemed transfer
- Assets acquired at less than half the market value
- Property acquired by property division
- Assets acquired by compensatory division
- Assets acquired subject to special provisions for exchange, replacement, expropriation, etc.
III. Calculation of separated capital gains
- Revenue amount
- Acquisition cost
(1) What constitutes an acquisition cost
(2) In the case of buildings
(3) Estimated acquisition cost
(4) Special provision for adding inheritance tax to acquisition cost when transferring inherited property
- Transfer expenses
- Special deductions
(1) Special 50 million yen deduction for land/buildings transferred for public works
(2) 30 million yen special deduction for transfer of residential property
(3) Special 20 million yen deduction for land transferred for specific land readjustment projects, etc.
(4) Special 15 million yen deduction for land transferred for specific residential land development projects, etc.
(5) Special 10 million yen deduction for transfer of domestic land acquired in 2009 and 2010
(6) 8 million yen special deduction for agricultural land transferred for rationalization of agricultural land holdings
(7) Special 1 million yen deduction for transfer of low-use/unused land, etc.
IV. Documents to attach to the tax return
Conclusion
■ Publication Information
Published Magazine: Zeikei Tsushin (Zeimu Keiri Kyokai Co., Ltd.)