Meteorite law in Japan
No law written for meteorites. Under the Civil Code, falls have generally stayed with the owners of the land or homes they hit.
Landowner or finder
Japan has no law aimed at meteorites. Ownership follows the Civil Code: an ownerless movable object belongs to whoever first takes possession of it, and on private land the landowner's rights come first in practice. The Narashino meteorite, which fell on a house near Tokyo in 2020, and earlier falls that struck homes stayed with the householders, many of whom lent them to the National Museum of Nature and Science for study.
Japan's National Institute of Polar Research holds a very large collection of Antarctic meteorites, which are collected under the Antarctic Treaty rules and are not for sale.
This is general information to help you ask the right questions, not legal advice. Laws change and their details matter, and this summary was last reviewed in 2026. Before you search, buy, sell or export a meteorite, check the current law with the authorities of the country concerned or a qualified lawyer. See meteorite law by country.
Related pages
Glossary: Meteorite ownership, Export rules, Landowner permission, Provenance