Understand a formal Japanese notice from a new landlord and reply properly with ChatGPT

Posted

Jul 6, 2026 by Adam Goulston (LinkedIn)

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Last checked

Oct 17, 2026

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Method:

How we verify

Evidence: Described by posterThe person describes what happened in words, without screenshots or video.

Context: The landlord's offer was the owners' own decision; AI helped with translation and preparation.

Outcome

A foreign resident in Osaka found a formal, indirect notice from his building's new owners. He photographed it and ChatGPT translated it, explained the implied meaning and flagged what to ask next; he checked the points with a real estate friend and emailed a formal Japanese reply. At the meeting, the owners asked tenants to leave and offered to cover moving costs and new-apartment fees, and he recorded and translated the meeting with Gemini and ChatGPT.

Agent

ChatGPT, Gemini

The source didn't share its exact prompt, so we wrote this from what it describes.

Let's work this out together. I'll tell you what I know, you suggest options and ask what you need, and we'll narrow it down step by step. Nothing gets booked, bought or sent until I say so.

Goal: Let's work out what this official letter means, what I should ask, and how to reply properly.

What I'll share as we go:
- A photo of the letter
- My tenancy details (lease dates, rent)
- Country and city

Rules:
- Translate it fully, then explain the implied meaning and tone in plain language.
- List questions I should ask and what my rights may be, pointing to official tenant guidance.
- Draft a polite, formal reply in the local language with an English version.
- Suggest who could double-check (a local friend, agent or tenant advice service).
- If a site asks for a login, a CAPTCHA or payment details, stop and hand control back to me.
- Ask for my OK before you pay, book, send, submit or cancel anything.
- Check facts that can change (prices, opening hours, dates, availability, rules) against the official source, and tell me anything you couldn't verify.

Output: A translation, a plain-language summary, a question list and a reply draft.

You'll know it worked when: I understand the notice and send a correct, polite reply.

Let's work this out together. I'll tell you what I know, you suggest options and ask what you need, and we'll narrow it down step by step. Nothing gets booked, bought or sent until I say so.

Goal: Let's work out what this official letter means, what I should ask, and how to reply properly.

What I'll share as we go:
- A photo of the letter
- My tenancy details (lease dates, rent)
- Country and city

Rules:
- Translate it fully, then explain the implied meaning and tone in plain language.
- List questions I should ask and what my rights may be, pointing to official tenant guidance.
- Draft a polite, formal reply in the local language with an English version.
- Suggest who could double-check (a local friend, agent or tenant advice service).
- If a site asks for a login, a CAPTCHA or payment details, stop and hand control back to me.
- Ask for my OK before you pay, book, send, submit or cancel anything.
- Check facts that can change (prices, opening hours, dates, availability, rules) against the official source, and tell me anything you couldn't verify.
- Have a fluent speaker check the reply before sending.

Output: A translation, a plain-language summary, a question list and a reply draft.

You'll know it worked when: I understand the notice and send a correct, polite reply.

Before you finish: re-read my goal and constraints, check your answer against each one, and list anything you assumed or couldn't confirm.

Source

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/adamgoulston_heres-how-ai-got-me-a-free-new-apartment-activity-7479749731716333568-aVqC