From your first enquiry to completion of the agreed work
We begin by asking about your circumstances and identifying what our office can help with, along with matters you will need to check yourself or with another professional. Please review the scope of work and costs before deciding whether to engage us.
- Your enquiry: Tell us whether someone has died or you are planning a will for the future, and what you need help with now.
- Understanding your circumstances: We review your family relationships, assets, documents already available and any deadlines that concern you.
- Scope of work and estimate: We identify the work you wish to request, professional fees and expenses, and work that is not included.
- Agreement and work: After reviewing the contract and completing the necessary authorization and identity checks, we proceed with the work within the agreed scope.
- Review and completion: We check the documents prepared and the status of procedures, then explain how the completed documents and materials you entrusted to us will be handled.
For the general sequence of procedures after a death, see our article on the inheritance process (in Japanese).
Confirm the consultation method and appointment time
If you would like to visit the office, please contact us in advance to arrange a date and time. If you would prefer a visit to your location, postal correspondence or an online consultation, tell us where you live and your preferred method. We will check which methods can be used, taking account of the procedure and identity verification requirements.
Your initial consultation is free for up to 30 minutes. We listen to your circumstances and concerns, then explain whether we can assist, the next steps, the procedures that may be needed, and an overview of the fees. Document preparation, research, applications, notifications and other work are charged separately. You are under no obligation to engage us after the consultation. Sending an enquiry does not mean that we have accepted an engagement or that a procedure has been completed.
Location and consultation methods (in Japanese) · About our office and professional
Start with the information and documents you already have
You do not need to collect every document before contacting us. Depending on your enquiry, the following information can help us understand your circumstances.
- Your relationship to the person who died and when the death occurred. If you are preparing a will, what you would like to achieve.
- Your family relationships, whether there is a will and how far any discussions have progressed.
- The types of assets you know about, such as bank deposits, real estate and vehicles.
- Whether you already have family registers (koseki), instructions from financial institutions or notices about procedures.
- Any circumstances we should know about first, such as debts, disputes, someone who cannot be contacted or a family member living overseas.
Please give only an overview in your initial enquiry form. Do not enter your My Number, bank account PIN, passport number or similar information. We will explain how to provide identity documents or other materials after confirming what is needed and how they should be transferred.
Check costs and the scope of work before engaging us
We distinguish the work you wish to request from matters that require a separate procedure. In addition to the professional fees listed on the fees page, please check any applicable costs for obtaining family registers and other documents, postage, and engaging another professional.
- The work and completed documents included in your request, and work that is excluded
- Professional fees, expenses, payment timing and payment methods
- How additional work will be estimated and agreed if it becomes necessary
- What you need to do yourself, including identity verification, providing a power of attorney or submitting original documents
- How cancellation or interruption of the engagement will be handled
Further checks may be needed while work is in progress
Reviewing family registers and documents required by the receiving institution may reveal a need for additional materials or clarification. Please distinguish what you know from what remains unconfirmed, and let us know when something is unclear.
We will confirm how to provide progress updates and when it is easiest to contact you when you engage us. Progress depends on the receiving institution’s review and the availability of documents, so we cannot promise the same completion timetable for every matter.
Review the documents and any remaining procedures at completion
We review the documents prepared, the outcome of the procedures and the original documents to be returned. We also identify materials you need to keep and any procedures that you or another professional will need to continue.
The method for returning documents, retention of copies by the office, and arrangements for corrections or additional work after completion will be checked against the contract.
Procedures handled by other professionals
Registration of inherited real estate falls within the work of a judicial scrivener (shiho-shoshi). Individual inheritance tax advice and tax returns are handled by a tax accountant (zeirishi), while representation in disputes and negotiations is handled by an attorney (bengoshi). For documents to be submitted to a family court, consult a judicial scrivener or another professional authorized to prepare them. For an individual legal assessment or representation, consult an attorney.
If you engage another professional, please confirm their work, who your contract is with, the costs and which materials will be shared. Engaging our office does not mean that all of these procedures are included.
References on professional roles: information on the work of a gyoseishoshi (Certified Administrative Procedures Legal Specialist) (in Japanese), guidance on judicial scriveners’ work (in Japanese) and National Tax Agency guidance (in Japanese).
Questions before engaging us
Can I contact you if I do not know what work to request?
Yes. Tell us about your current circumstances and what you are finding difficult. We will identify the support you may need and any professionals or organizations you should contact first.
Can I ask about preparing just some of the documents?
Please tell us which part you would like help with and what you have already completed. We will review the materials and consider the scope of assistance.
If a deadline is close, will a normal enquiry leave enough time?
We cannot promise that it will. If you are concerned about a deadline for renunciation of inheritance, a tax return or another procedure, contact the responsible professional or public office promptly. Contacting our office does not extend a deadline.