Inheritance involving overseas residents, other nationalities or assets abroad

Check nationality, residence and the location of assets separately

An heir may live outside Japan, a person involved may hold a nationality other than Japanese, or some assets may be located in another country. The matters that need checking depend on nationality, place of residence, the location of the assets and the institution receiving the documents.

This page provides general information to help you organize the points to check before contacting us. It does not determine the law applicable to an individual case, who the heirs are, tax obligations, required documents or whether we can accept the work.

Three situations that need different checks

A Japanese national lives outside Japan

Check how to prove their address and signature, which institution in Japan will receive the documents, and how to communicate and exchange original documents.

The deceased person or an heir is not a Japanese national

Check documents establishing personal status and family relationships, the applicable law, methods of certification and translation, and the receiving institution’s requirements. The same certificates available to Japanese nationals living abroad may not be available.

Some assets are located outside Japan

Check the type and location of the assets, the procedures in the relevant country, tax matters in Japan and the other countries involved, and whether a local professional needs to be involved.

These situations can overlap. Living outside Japan, or having assets in Japan, does not by itself determine which law applies.

Information to share at the outset

• The deceased person’s nationality and the country or region where they last lived.
• Your relationship to the deceased person, and what you know about the heirs’ nationalities and countries of residence.
• The types of assets, such as bank deposits, real estate or vehicles, and the countries or regions where they are located.
• Whether there is a will, and any financial institutions or public offices you have already contacted.
• Matters that need early attention, such as deadlines, disputes or someone you cannot contact.
• Your preferred contact method and language, suitable contact times and your local time zone.

A brief overview is enough at first. We do not ask for passport numbers, residence card numbers, My Number identification numbers, bank account PINs or confidential document attachments in your initial enquiry. If documents are needed, we will explain what to provide after confirming their purpose and how they should be exchanged.

Start with the receiving institution’s requirements for registers, signature certificates and translations

Family registers and the legal heir information chart

First, check whether Japanese family registers (koseki) can establish the necessary family relationships. The Legal Affairs Bureau explains that its system for certifying legal heir information cannot be used if the required family register documents cannot be submitted, for example because the deceased person or an heir does not hold Japanese nationality. The legal heir information chart (hōtei sōzoku jōhō ichiranzu) is therefore not available for every inheritance involving another country. Legal Affairs Bureau: procedures for the legal heir information certification system (in Japanese)

For family register collection and identification of heirs (in Japanese) and support with the legal heir information chart (in Japanese), we also need to confirm whether the system is available in your circumstances and what support we can provide.

Proof of signature and address

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs provides information on signature certificates and other certificates for Japanese nationals living abroad who need to complete procedures in Japan. The receiving institution must confirm the required form of signature certificate. A person who is not a Japanese national may not be eligible under the same conditions. Former Japanese nationals may qualify in certain exceptional cases, so please check with the Japanese embassy or consulate concerned. Also note the Ministry’s guidance that applicants must attend the embassy or consulate in person for a signature certificate. Ministry of Foreign Affairs: certificates issued by Japanese diplomatic missions abroad (in Japanese)

Translations and original documents

Ask the receiving institution whether a translation is needed, whose translations it accepts, and whether certification or original documents are required. Machine translation of this website, if used, cannot replace a translation of application documents or a professional’s review.

Consult the appropriate professional about foreign law, tax, registration and disputes

The applicable law and procedures outside Japan need to be considered in light of the countries involved and the specific circumstances. Do not determine the heirs or required documents by assuming that Japanese rules alone apply.

Japanese inheritance tax may be relevant even when an heir lives abroad. Consult a tax accountant (zeirishi) who handles international tax matters about which assets may be taxable and whether a tax return is required, taking account of nationality, residence history, assets and other relevant conditions. National Tax Agency: when an heir lives outside Japan (in Japanese)

Real estate registration in Japan is a field handled by judicial scriveners (shiho-shoshi). Disputes, negotiations, legal advice on an individual case and legal representation are matters for an attorney (bengoshi). Foreign law and local procedures may also require advice from a professional with the qualifications and scope of practice required in the relevant country or region.

What we check when you contact our office

After hearing about your circumstances, we will confirm whether we can help within the scope of a gyoseishoshi (Certified Administrative Procedures Legal Specialist), such as investigating Japanese family register records or preparing inheritance documents based on an agreement already reached. Before engaging us, please confirm the countries and documents involved, any need for translations, and the contact methods and languages available.

This general information does not promise assistance for a particular country, consultations or contracts in a foreign language, or a single engagement covering procedures outside Japan.

About the gyoseishoshi and our office Support with an estate division agreement (in Japanese)

Mailing documents, identity checks and communication

We will distinguish between documents that must be supplied as originals and those that can be checked as copies, and confirm how signatures and identity checks should be handled. Before sending documents, confirm the delivery address, delivery method and how they will be returned.

If there is a time difference, make clear whether your preferred contact times are in Japan time or your local time zone. Postal services, local offices and the receiving institution’s processing affect the time needed. We cannot promise that everything can be completed online or that every case will take the same number of days.

See the process from enquiry to completion

Questions and enquiries

This page refers to official guidance from the Legal Affairs Bureau, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Tax Agency. Please check the latest document requirements, eligibility conditions and submission methods with the relevant institution.

Tell us which countries or regions are involved and what you need help with