Inheritance in Japan: A Complete Guide to Procedures and 2025 Changes

Dealing with inheritance procedures during a time of grief is overwhelming. Japan's inheritance system involves strict deadlines and complex documentation. This guide walks you through every step.

Major 2025 Changes

Mandatory Property Registration (Effective April 2024)

Inherited real estate must now be registered within 3 years of learning about the inheritance. Failure to comply can result in a fine of up to 100,000 yen.

Item	Detail
Target	Real estate acquired through inheritance
Deadline	Within 3 years of knowing about inheritance
Fine	Up to 100,000 yen
Scope	Applies retroactively to past inheritances

Wide-Area Family Register System (Launched March 2024)

Previously, you could only obtain family register copies at the municipality where the register was held. Now you can request them at any municipality nationwide.

Step-by-Step Inheritance Process

Step 1: Death Notification (Within 7 Days)

Submit death notification to the municipal office within 7 days.

Step 2: Check for a Will

Will Type	Verification
Handwritten will	Requires probate at family court (except if stored at Legal Affairs Bureau)
Notarized will	Searchable at notary offices

Step 3: Identify Legal Heirs

Obtain continuous family register records from the deceased's birth to death to identify all legal heirs.

Step 4: Investigate Assets

Asset Type	How to Investigate
Real estate	Property tax notices, registry transcripts
Bank accounts	Balance certificates from each bank
Securities	Inquiry to brokerage firms
Debts	Credit information agencies

Step 5: Accept or Renounce (Within 3 Months)

Option	Meaning	Deadline
Simple acceptance	Inherit all assets and debts	Automatic
Limited acceptance	Debts limited to asset value	File with family court within 3 months
Renunciation	Give up all assets and debts	File with family court within 3 months

Step 6: Estate Division Agreement

All heirs must agree on how to divide the estate and create a written agreement with all signatures, personal seals, and seal certificates.

When sharing sensitive documents like asset lists and division agreements among heirs, LOCK.PUB encrypted memos provide password-protected secure sharing.

Step 7: Inheritance Tax Filing (Within 10 Months)

Basic Exemption

30 million yen + 6 million yen x number of legal heirs

Number of Heirs	Exemption Amount
1	36 million yen
2	42 million yen
3	48 million yen

If the estate exceeds the exemption, you must file and pay inheritance tax within 10 months of the death.

Statutory Inheritance Shares

Heir Combination	Spouse	Others
Spouse + children	1/2	Children split 1/2 equally
Spouse + parents	2/3	Parents split 1/3 equally
Spouse + siblings	3/4	Siblings split 1/4 equally

Professional Help

Professional	When to Use	Cost Estimate
Judicial scrivener	Property registration	50,000-150,000 yen
Tax accountant	Tax filing	0.5-1% of estate value
Attorney	Disputes between heirs	300,000 yen+
Administrative scrivener	Document collection	50,000-100,000 yen

Secure Document Management

Inheritance involves massive amounts of personal data — family registers, bank statements, division agreements. Sharing these via email or messaging apps risks exposure.

LOCK.PUB lets you share these documents securely through password-protected encrypted memos. You can even set auto-deletion after viewing for added security.

Summary

Procedure	Deadline
Death notification	7 days
Renunciation	3 months
Income tax (deceased)	4 months
Inheritance tax	10 months
Property registration	3 years

Meeting deadlines is critical. Use LOCK.PUB for secure document sharing throughout the process.