Falling out of compliance can lead to penalties, lawsuits, and even damage to your reputation as a landlord.

When most US investors are faced with the prospect of converting (lots of) USD to JPY, to buy properties in cash, that in depreciate in value (when contemplating resale) and face decreasing rents over time... you need something else to justify choosing Japan over the US.

My #1 fear going into this was partying guests disturbing neighbors and damaging the property.

If you really want to get rid of them, sweeten the pot by offering to return their deposit after you verify the unit is empty with no damages. 

All Landlords risk tenants damaging the home, but a NICE home attracts NICE tenants so the fact that you've made the home very NICE means you should be able to take your pick of applicants.

SizeCracks wider than 5 millimeters (0.2 inches) are a cause for concern Cracks wider than 15 millimeters (0.6 inches) may indicate a serious problem Cracks wider than 25 millimeters (1 inch) could be a sign of structural damage Location Cracks above doors and windows, Cracks near the ends of walls, Cracks where walls and ceilings meet, and Cracks that allow daylight in.

As a would be individual landlord with just a one unit single family property I don’t know I can stomach the risk or withstand a financial assault resulting from an eviction process for a non-paying tenant (or tenants that do extensive damage).I am seriously considering bowing out and selling.

The vast majority are not there and don't have any prospects of ever having such. 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Recommend you first figure out the property Class you want to invest in, THEN figure out the corresponding location to invest in.Property Class will typically dictate the Class of tenant you get, which greatly IMPACTS rental income stability and property maintenance/damage by tenants.If you apply Class A assumptions to a Class B or C purchase, your expectations won’t be met and it may be a financial disaster.If you buy/renovate a property in Class D area to Class A standards, what quality of tenant will you get?

Unfortunately, it's now going to get more complicated:(There are two types of approaches PMCs use to bill for maintenance:1) In-house ServiceTechs on the payroll, so owners are billed for their time by the hour.While the labor charges above are useful, they don't cover the true costs a PMC incurs, like:- Payroll costs for FICA, Social Security, Medicare, etc. that typically add 25-40% to the hourly rate- Medical insurance costs for the worker- Payroll processing costs to handle all of the above- Liability insurance costs in case worker damages something or injures someone- Workman's Compensation insurance- Costs of vehicles and tools- and more...Typically the management contract will disclose the total hourly rate an owner will be charged.