Bank accounts after a death in Japan
Frozen accounts, withdrawing before division, and finding accounts

When accounts are frozen

• A bank freezes the account when it learns of the death, usually when the family contacts it. Filing the death notification at the city office does not tell banks
• After that, withdrawals, transfers, and automatic payments (utilities, credit cards, rent) stop. Change the payment account for utilities and phone bills early
• Withdrawing money before the account is frozen can cause disputes with other heirs, and using the money for yourself may mean you can no longer renounce the inheritance. If you need money for the funeral, use the system below

Withdrawing before the estate is divided

Since July 2019, each heir can ask a bank to pay out part of the deceased's deposits before the heirs agree on how to divide the estate (Ministry of Justice, in Japanese).

• Amount for one heir = balance on the day of death × 1/3 × that heir's statutory share
• Limit: ¥1,500,000 from one bank (all accounts at the same bank together)

Example: the heirs are the spouse and two children, and Bank A holds 6,000,000 yen. The spouse (statutory share 1/2) can withdraw ¥1,000,000. With 12,000,000 yen at Bank B, the calculation gives 2,000,000 yen, so the limit of ¥1,500,000 applies. What you withdraw is treated as part of your share. Our Japanese calculator 口座凍結と仮払いの計算 works this out by bank.

Documents banks usually ask for

• Family registers of the deceased from birth to death. Some banks accept a certified copy of the chart of legal heir information instead (in Japanese)
• Family registers of all heirs
• The seal certificate, registered seal, and photo ID of the heir who withdraws. Heirs abroad use a signature certificate from a Japanese embassy or consulate (heirs living outside Japan)

Requirements differ by bank (Japanese Bankers Association, in Japanese). Collecting family registers takes time, so start early if you need the money.

Finding the deceased's accounts

• Since April 2025, one heir can apply at a participating bank to search all banks, through the Deposit Insurance Corporation of Japan, for accounts linked to the deceased's My Number. The other heirs' consent is not needed
• The fee is 5,060 yen per application, paid to the bank, and is not refunded even if no account is found. Results take about 1 month. Deaths within the last 10 years are covered
• Only accounts the person linked to their My Number are found. The result shows the bank, branch, type, and account number, but not the balance
• You need a document showing the death (for example a certificate of removal from the resident register), a document showing you are an heir, and your photo ID (Deposit Insurance Corporation of Japan, PDF in Japanese)

Other ways to find assets, such as statements, mail, and passbooks at home, are on our Japanese page 財産と借金の探し方.

Closing the account

When the heirs agree on the division, or if there is a will, bring the estate division agreement or the will with the family registers and other documents to the bank. The balance is paid to the heir who receives it, or the account is transferred. When the person who died was a foreign national, the law of their country may decide who inherits, and banks may ask for different documents, so ask the bank first (which law applies).