Land and House Surveyor Examination cheat sheet

Distance correction: true distance = measured distance × (nominal tape length ÷ actual tape length); apply for temperature (α ≈ 1.15×10⁻⁵/°C for steel), tension, and sag separately.

Traverse closure: linear misclosure = √(ΣΔX² + ΣΔY²); allowable limit commonly compared as misclosure ÷ total traverse length (relative closure).

Bowditch (compass) rule distributes misclosure proportional to leg length; transit rule distributes proportional to |ΔX| and |ΔY| magnitudes - use transit rule when angles are more precise than distances.

Random error propagation: σ_sum = √(σ₁² + σ₂² + …); for n repeated observations of the same quantity, σ_mean = σ/√n.

Angle closure in a closed polygon: sum of interior angles = (n−2)×180°; residual distributed equally among angles before azimuth computation.

Total station: collimation error checked by reversing telescope (face left/face right); mean of both faces cancels residual collimation and trunnion error.

Leveling: curvature and refraction correction ≈ 0.067 D² (m, D in km), subtract from staff reading; equal fore/back sight distances cancel Earth curvature and instrument index error.

Plane table / GNSS: RTK fix requires ≥5 satellites and low PDOP; verify with independent check point before accepting cadastral coordinates.

Boundary determination (境界確定) requires agreement of all adjoining owners plus the surveyor's professional judgment on the true line; agreement alone does not create a boundary if it contradicts objective evidence.

筆界 (parcel boundary) is the boundary existing at the time of the original land register creation; 所有権界 (ownership boundary) may differ and is settled by civil agreement, not by cadastral survey.

Order of evidence: official register and 公図 → 地籍調査成果 → old survey records (旧土地台帳附属地図, 地押調査図) → natural features and occupation → owner agreement.

座標法 (coordinate method / shoelace formula): Area = ½|Σ(Xᵢ·Yᵢ₊₁ − Xᵢ₊₁·Yᵢ)|; verify closure of the polygon before computing area.

Boundary marker (境界標) setting must record type (コンクリート杭, 金属標, 刻印), position, and a sketch; a marker is evidence, not proof, of the legal boundary.

地籍調査 (Cadastral Survey Act): 一筆地調査 determines owners and boundaries, 地籍測量 produces coordinates and 地籍図, and results are approved by the 市町村 then registered with the registry.

When adjoining owners cannot agree, the surveyor may apply to the 法務局 for 筆界特定 (boundary-specific determination) under the 筆界特定登記制度; the procedure yields an administrative finding, not a civil judgment.

Retracement principle: prefer original monument over measurement; if monument lost, use original record measurements proportionally (単比例配分) rather than re-measuring from new control.

Registration takes effect upon entry in the register (登記は登記簿に記載された時に効力を生ずる); the register is public and any person may request inspection (不動産登記法第14条).

Registration application must identify the 不動産 (by 地番・家屋番号), the 登記の目的, the 申請人, and the 登記原因 and its date; attachments vary by registration type.

共同申請主義: rights registrations are applied for jointly by the right holder and the obligor, except where law permits 単独申請 (e.g., 相続登記, 抵当権抹消 by 弁済).

登記識別情報 replaced 印鑑証明 for 権利に関する登記 in 2005; loss requires 事前通知 or 本人確認措置 before application.

仮登記 preserves rank for a future 本登記; 予告登記 restricts later inconsistent registrations but does not itself create a right.

Correction of a registration error: 更正登記 requires consent of the registered person; if consent unavailable, 判決による更正 or 職権更正 under 法第64条 applies.

Registration tax (登録免許税) rates vary by cause: 所有権移転 (売買) 2.0% of assessed value, 相続 0.4%, 抵当権設定 0.4% (rates subject to statutory revision - verify current law).

登記官 may reject (却下) an application for formal defects; 不服申立て against a 登記官 disposition is by 審査請求 to the 法務大臣, not by administrative appeal under 行政不服審査法.

表示に関する登記 records 土地の位置・地番・地積・地目 and 家屋の位置・家屋番号・種類・構造・床面積; it is made by 登記官 ex officio or on application, and does not create rights.

地積 measurement for 表示登記 uses the horizontal projection area; 地積測量図 must show boundary points, adjacent parcel numbers, and coordinates or distances/angles.

A 分筆 requires a 地積測量図; a 合筆 requires that parcels be contiguous, same 地目 (unless one is 宅地), and not subject to different 抵当権 unless released.

Building 床面積 is measured on the 壁芯 (wall centerline) for 表示登記, whereas 不動産鑑定 and 建築確認 use 内法 (inner clear) - do not interchange.

家屋番号 is assigned per 所在・地番 with a branch number (e.g., 1番2); new construction requires 表示登記 within one month of completion (法第47条).

地図 (cadastral map) vs 公図: 公図 is the old 土地台帳附属地図; 地図 prepared under 不動産登記法第14条 has higher evidentiary weight for parcel boundaries.

Map scale and accuracy: 地図 accuracy standards require boundary point error within specified tolerance (commonly 0.7 mm on the map at scale 1/250 to 1/1000 - verify current 法務省令).

When a 地積測量図 conflicts with the register, the register controls the registered area; the surveyor should note the discrepancy and seek 更正 through proper procedure.

Ownership extends vertically to the limits of beneficial use (民法第207条); subterranean or superjacent construction may be limited by statute.

Boundary installations (境界標) are co-owned by adjoining owners (民法第229条); each may bear half the cost of setting or repair.

地役権 (easement) requires a 要役地 and 承役地; it is registered to bind third parties and follows the dominant parcel on transfer.

Building 区分所有: 専有部分 is individually owned; 共用部分 is co-owned in proportion to 専有面積 unless otherwise provided (区分所有法第14条).

共有 (co-ownership): each co-owner may use the whole property but cannot alter or dispose without consent of all (民法第251条); 持分 may be transferred without other co-owners' consent.

取得時効: 20 years of possession in good faith with intent (10 years if 善意無過失) can create ownership; for registered real property, 登記 must be present to assert prescription against third parties.

賃借権 (lease) is a claim, not a real right; 借地借家法 protects 借地権 and requires justifiable grounds for refusal to renew.

相隣関係: 自然流水, 囲繞地通行権 (民法第210条), and 竹木の枝の切除 (民法第233条) define adjoining-owner rights and duties.

国土調査法 governs 地籍調査; the 基本計画 is set by the 国土交通大臣 and executed by 市町村 or 土地改良区.

地籍調査成果 is approved by the 市町村 (or 都道府県 for 指定都市) and then registered; the approved 地籍図 and 地籍簿 become the basis for registry correction.

地籍調査 does not alter ownership; it determines 筆界 and area, and errors are corrected via 成果の修正 procedure, not by civil suit alone.

地籍調査 and 登記: results are sent to the 法務局 for 地図 and 登記記録 correction; 地積 is updated by 職権更正 after approval.

公図 (旧土地台帳附属地図) has no strict geometric accuracy; it is evidence of historical parcel layout, not of current boundary position.

地籍調査 vs 筆界特定: 地籍調査 covers whole areas and is administrative; 筆界特定 targets individual disputed boundaries and produces a 筆界特定書.

土地改良法 and 農地法 affect parcel boundaries in agricultural areas; 換地処分 can relocate and reshape parcels, and the 換地計画 replaces the prior boundary.

Access to 地籍調査成果: 地籍図 and 地籍簿 are open to public inspection at the 市町村; certified copies may be requested under 国土調査法施行令.

Administrative acts (行政行為) are presumed valid until revoked; a surveyor cannot ignore a valid 行政処分 without legal challenge.

行政不服審査法 (2014 revision): 審査請求 to the 処分庁's superior within 3 months of knowing the disposition; 再調査の請求 and 再審査請求 are limited.

行政事件訴訟法: 取消訴訟 requires 原告適格 (legal interest) and must be filed within 6 months of knowing the disposition (or 1 year from the act).

行政手続法 requires 聴聞 or 弁明の機会 before adverse dispositions, and 理由の提示 for all dispositions.

行政指導 has no legal binding force; a surveyor may decline it but should record it in the file.

情報公開請求 under 行政機関情報公開法 allows access to survey records; 個人情報 is protected under 個人情報保護法.

A 土地家屋調査士 is a 国家資格; 行政処分 (戒告, 業務停止, 業務禁止) may be imposed by the 法務大臣 for ethical violations.

行政代執行 and 即時強制 are coercive measures; a surveyor must not obstruct lawful enforcement but may seek 執行停止 in litigation.

土地家屋調査士法 requires 品位を保持し、誠実に職務を行う (法第2条); violation may lead to 懲戒処分.

Confidentiality: client information obtained in the course of practice must not be disclosed without consent, except where law requires.

Conflict of interest: a surveyor must decline a case where a personal or financial interest could bias boundary determination.

Fee agreements must be clear and in writing; 報酬は契約に基づき、不当に高額であってはならない.

Record retention: survey records, 計算書, and 図面 should be kept for at least the period required by 法務省令 (commonly 5 years - verify current rule).

Professional liability: errors in boundary determination can lead to 損害賠償; 職業賠償責任保険 is recommended but not mandatory.

Advertising must not be misleading; claims of official affiliation or guaranteed accuracy are prohibited.

Continuing education: the 日本土地家屋調査士会連合会 provides 研修; participation supports competence but is not a substitute for statutory duties.

Step 1: read the fact pattern and list all given coordinates, distances, and angles; draw a sketch to scale before computing.

Step 2: verify polygon closure; if misclosure exceeds tolerance, adjust by compass or transit rule and state the method used.

Step 3: compute area by 座標法; show the table of X, Y, and cross products; report area in ㎡ to two decimals.

Step 4: when a boundary is disputed, apply the evidence hierarchy and state which document controls and why.

Step 5: for 分筆 problems, compute the new parcel area from the required ratio and solve for the dividing line using a quadratic or trial-and-error with stated tolerance.

Step 6: present findings in the required format: 結論, 理由, 計算過程; cite the statutory basis (e.g., 民法第229条, 不動産登記法第14条).

Common errors to avoid: mixing 壁芯 and 内法 areas, forgetting curvature correction, and treating 公図 as conclusive.

Time management: allocate roughly 40% to reading and sketching, 40% to computation, 20% to writing the conclusion and reasoning.

Answer structure: state the conclusion first, then the legal basis, then the factual application; keep answers under 60 seconds unless asked to elaborate.

When asked about a disputed boundary, name the evidence order and explain why agreement alone cannot override objective records.

Distinguish 筆界 (public law, determined by records) from 所有権界 (private law, determined by agreement); examiners test this distinction frequently.

For ethical scenarios, cite the 土地家屋調査士法 duty of 品位保持 and explain the specific conflict or confidentiality issue.

If unsure of a fact, say so and explain how you would verify it (e.g., inspect 公図, request 地籍調査成果, consult 法務局) - do not guess.

Use precise terminology: 地積, 筆界, 境界標, 登記識別情報, 審査請求; avoid colloquial substitutes.

Demonstrate awareness of the 行政不服審査法 timeline and the difference between 審査請求 and 取消訴訟 when discussing challenges to dispositions.

Close with a brief summary of the recommended action and any follow-up the client should take.

Distance correction: true distance = measured distance × (nominal tape length ÷ actual tape length); apply for temperature (α ≈ 1.15×10⁻⁵/°C for steel), tension, and sag separately.

Traverse closure: linear misclosure = √(ΣΔX² + ΣΔY²); allowable limit commonly compared as misclosure ÷ total traverse length (relative closure).

Bowditch (compass) rule distributes misclosure proportional to leg length; transit rule distributes proportional to |ΔX| and |ΔY| magnitudes - use transit rule when angles are more precise than distances.

Random error propagation: σ_sum = √(σ₁² + σ₂² + …); for n repeated observations of the same quantity, σ_mean = σ/√n.

Angle closure in a closed polygon: sum of interior angles = (n−2)×180°; residual distributed equally among angles before azimuth computation.

Total station: collimation error checked by reversing telescope (face left/face right); mean of both faces cancels residual collimation and trunnion error.

Leveling: curvature and refraction correction ≈ 0.067 D² (m, D in km), subtract from staff reading; equal fore/back sight distances cancel Earth curvature and instrument index error.

Plane table / GNSS: RTK fix requires ≥5 satellites and low PDOP; verify with independent check point before accepting cadastral coordinates.

Boundary determination (境界確定) requires agreement of all adjoining owners plus the surveyor's professional judgment on the true line; agreement alone does not create a boundary if it contradicts objective evidence.

筆界 (parcel boundary) is the boundary existing at the time of the original land register creation; 所有権界 (ownership boundary) may differ and is settled by civil agreement, not by cadastral survey.

Order of evidence: official register and 公図 → 地籍調査成果 → old survey records (旧土地台帳附属地図, 地押調査図) → natural features and occupation → owner agreement.

座標法 (coordinate method / shoelace formula): Area = ½|Σ(Xᵢ·Yᵢ₊₁ − Xᵢ₊₁·Yᵢ)|; verify closure of the polygon before computing area.

Boundary marker (境界標) setting must record type (コンクリート杭, 金属標, 刻印), position, and a sketch; a marker is evidence, not proof, of the legal boundary.

地籍調査 (Cadastral Survey Act): 一筆地調査 determines owners and boundaries, 地籍測量 produces coordinates and 地籍図, and results are approved by the 市町村 then registered with the registry.

When adjoining owners cannot agree, the surveyor may apply to the 法務局 for 筆界特定 (boundary-specific determination) under the 筆界特定登記制度; the procedure yields an administrative finding, not a civil judgment.

Retracement principle: prefer original monument over measurement; if monument lost, use original record measurements proportionally (単比例配分) rather than re-measuring from new control.

Registration takes effect upon entry in the register (登記は登記簿に記載された時に効力を生ずる); the register is public and any person may request inspection (不動産登記法第14条).

Registration application must identify the 不動産 (by 地番・家屋番号), the 登記の目的, the 申請人, and the 登記原因 and its date; attachments vary by registration type.

共同申請主義: rights registrations are applied for jointly by the right holder and the obligor, except where law permits 単独申請 (e.g., 相続登記, 抵当権抹消 by 弁済).

登記識別情報 replaced 印鑑証明 for 権利に関する登記 in 2005; loss requires 事前通知 or 本人確認措置 before application.

仮登記 preserves rank for a future 本登記; 予告登記 restricts later inconsistent registrations but does not itself create a right.

Correction of a registration error: 更正登記 requires consent of the registered person; if consent unavailable, 判決による更正 or 職権更正 under 法第64条 applies.

Registration tax (登録免許税) rates vary by cause: 所有権移転 (売買) 2.0% of assessed value, 相続 0.4%, 抵当権設定 0.4% (rates subject to statutory revision - verify current law).

登記官 may reject (却下) an application for formal defects; 不服申立て against a 登記官 disposition is by 審査請求 to the 法務大臣, not by administrative appeal under 行政不服審査法.

表示に関する登記 records 土地の位置・地番・地積・地目 and 家屋の位置・家屋番号・種類・構造・床面積; it is made by 登記官 ex officio or on application, and does not create rights.

地積 measurement for 表示登記 uses the horizontal projection area; 地積測量図 must show boundary points, adjacent parcel numbers, and coordinates or distances/angles.

A 分筆 requires a 地積測量図; a 合筆 requires that parcels be contiguous, same 地目 (unless one is 宅地), and not subject to different 抵当権 unless released.

Building 床面積 is measured on the 壁芯 (wall centerline) for 表示登記, whereas 不動産鑑定 and 建築確認 use 内法 (inner clear) - do not interchange.

家屋番号 is assigned per 所在・地番 with a branch number (e.g., 1番2); new construction requires 表示登記 within one month of completion (法第47条).

地図 (cadastral map) vs 公図: 公図 is the old 土地台帳附属地図; 地図 prepared under 不動産登記法第14条 has higher evidentiary weight for parcel boundaries.

Map scale and accuracy: 地図 accuracy standards require boundary point error within specified tolerance (commonly 0.7 mm on the map at scale 1/250 to 1/1000 - verify current 法務省令).

When a 地積測量図 conflicts with the register, the register controls the registered area; the surveyor should note the discrepancy and seek 更正 through proper procedure.

Ownership extends vertically to the limits of beneficial use (民法第207条); subterranean or superjacent construction may be limited by statute.

Boundary installations (境界標) are co-owned by adjoining owners (民法第229条); each may bear half the cost of setting or repair.

地役権 (easement) requires a 要役地 and 承役地; it is registered to bind third parties and follows the dominant parcel on transfer.

Building 区分所有: 専有部分 is individually owned; 共用部分 is co-owned in proportion to 専有面積 unless otherwise provided (区分所有法第14条).

共有 (co-ownership): each co-owner may use the whole property but cannot alter or dispose without consent of all (民法第251条); 持分 may be transferred without other co-owners' consent.

取得時効: 20 years of possession in good faith with intent (10 years if 善意無過失) can create ownership; for registered real property, 登記 must be present to assert prescription against third parties.

賃借権 (lease) is a claim, not a real right; 借地借家法 protects 借地権 and requires justifiable grounds for refusal to renew.

相隣関係: 自然流水, 囲繞地通行権 (民法第210条), and 竹木の枝の切除 (民法第233条) define adjoining-owner rights and duties.

国土調査法 governs 地籍調査; the 基本計画 is set by the 国土交通大臣 and executed by 市町村 or 土地改良区.

地籍調査成果 is approved by the 市町村 (or 都道府県 for 指定都市) and then registered; the approved 地籍図 and 地籍簿 become the basis for registry correction.

地籍調査 does not alter ownership; it determines 筆界 and area, and errors are corrected via 成果の修正 procedure, not by civil suit alone.

地籍調査 and 登記: results are sent to the 法務局 for 地図 and 登記記録 correction; 地積 is updated by 職権更正 after approval.

公図 (旧土地台帳附属地図) has no strict geometric accuracy; it is evidence of historical parcel layout, not of current boundary position.

地籍調査 vs 筆界特定: 地籍調査 covers whole areas and is administrative; 筆界特定 targets individual disputed boundaries and produces a 筆界特定書.

土地改良法 and 農地法 affect parcel boundaries in agricultural areas; 換地処分 can relocate and reshape parcels, and the 換地計画 replaces the prior boundary.

Access to 地籍調査成果: 地籍図 and 地籍簿 are open to public inspection at the 市町村; certified copies may be requested under 国土調査法施行令.

Administrative acts (行政行為) are presumed valid until revoked; a surveyor cannot ignore a valid 行政処分 without legal challenge.

行政不服審査法 (2014 revision): 審査請求 to the 処分庁's superior within 3 months of knowing the disposition; 再調査の請求 and 再審査請求 are limited.

行政事件訴訟法: 取消訴訟 requires 原告適格 (legal interest) and must be filed within 6 months of knowing the disposition (or 1 year from the act).

行政手続法 requires 聴聞 or 弁明の機会 before adverse dispositions, and 理由の提示 for all dispositions.

行政指導 has no legal binding force; a surveyor may decline it but should record it in the file.

情報公開請求 under 行政機関情報公開法 allows access to survey records; 個人情報 is protected under 個人情報保護法.

A 土地家屋調査士 is a 国家資格; 行政処分 (戒告, 業務停止, 業務禁止) may be imposed by the 法務大臣 for ethical violations.

行政代執行 and 即時強制 are coercive measures; a surveyor must not obstruct lawful enforcement but may seek 執行停止 in litigation.

土地家屋調査士法 requires 品位を保持し、誠実に職務を行う (法第2条); violation may lead to 懲戒処分.

Confidentiality: client information obtained in the course of practice must not be disclosed without consent, except where law requires.

Conflict of interest: a surveyor must decline a case where a personal or financial interest could bias boundary determination.

Fee agreements must be clear and in writing; 報酬は契約に基づき、不当に高額であってはならない.

Record retention: survey records, 計算書, and 図面 should be kept for at least the period required by 法務省令 (commonly 5 years - verify current rule).

Professional liability: errors in boundary determination can lead to 損害賠償; 職業賠償責任保険 is recommended but not mandatory.

Advertising must not be misleading; claims of official affiliation or guaranteed accuracy are prohibited.

Continuing education: the 日本土地家屋調査士会連合会 provides 研修; participation supports competence but is not a substitute for statutory duties.

Step 1: read the fact pattern and list all given coordinates, distances, and angles; draw a sketch to scale before computing.

Step 2: verify polygon closure; if misclosure exceeds tolerance, adjust by compass or transit rule and state the method used.

Step 3: compute area by 座標法; show the table of X, Y, and cross products; report area in ㎡ to two decimals.

Step 4: when a boundary is disputed, apply the evidence hierarchy and state which document controls and why.

Step 5: for 分筆 problems, compute the new parcel area from the required ratio and solve for the dividing line using a quadratic or trial-and-error with stated tolerance.

Step 6: present findings in the required format: 結論, 理由, 計算過程; cite the statutory basis (e.g., 民法第229条, 不動産登記法第14条).

Common errors to avoid: mixing 壁芯 and 内法 areas, forgetting curvature correction, and treating 公図 as conclusive.

Time management: allocate roughly 40% to reading and sketching, 40% to computation, 20% to writing the conclusion and reasoning.

Answer structure: state the conclusion first, then the legal basis, then the factual application; keep answers under 60 seconds unless asked to elaborate.

When asked about a disputed boundary, name the evidence order and explain why agreement alone cannot override objective records.

Distinguish 筆界 (public law, determined by records) from 所有権界 (private law, determined by agreement); examiners test this distinction frequently.

For ethical scenarios, cite the 土地家屋調査士法 duty of 品位保持 and explain the specific conflict or confidentiality issue.

If unsure of a fact, say so and explain how you would verify it (e.g., inspect 公図, request 地籍調査成果, consult 法務局) - do not guess.

Use precise terminology: 地積, 筆界, 境界標, 登記識別情報, 審査請求; avoid colloquial substitutes.

Demonstrate awareness of the 行政不服審査法 timeline and the difference between 審査請求 and 取消訴訟 when discussing challenges to dispositions.

Close with a brief summary of the recommended action and any follow-up the client should take.