Heirs living outside Japan
Documents you need instead of a seal certificate and a resident record
When someone dies in Japan, heirs usually sign an estate division agreement and attach a seal certificate (inkan shomei) and a resident record (juminhyo). Heirs living abroad do not have these, so they use other documents. This page explains what to get, depending on your nationality.
Checked against official pages of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, and Japanese embassies in October 2026
Key points
- Japanese citizens abroad: a signature certificate and a residence certificate from a Japanese embassy or consulate
- Non-Japanese heirs: a signature certified by a local notary, and proof of address with a copy of your passport
- Ask the office or bank that will receive the documents which format and how many copies it needs
This site is mainly in Japanese. English pages: When a family member dies in Japan ・ Heirs living outside Japan ・ Japanese inheritance tax for foreign nationals. Easy Japanese: やさしい日本語
If you are a Japanese citizen living abroad
- Signature certificate (shomei shomei): used instead of a seal certificate. Go to the embassy or consulate in person and sign in front of the consul. Bring the document from Japan unsigned. Proxy and mail applications are not accepted. The fee is the equivalent of 1,700 yen per copy, paid in local currency (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Japanese)
- There are two formats: the certificate bound to the document you signed, or a certificate of your signature alone. Which one you need depends on the office that receives it, so ask first
- Residence certificate (zairyu shomei): used instead of a resident record, for example for a real estate registration. You need to have lived there for 3 months or more and have no resident registration in Japan. In principle you apply in person; by mail you still need to collect it once. Some missions accept online applications. The fee is the equivalent of 1,200 yen per copy
- Former Japanese citizens may get a signature certificate for inheritance procedures in some cases; ask the embassy or consulate (example: Consulate-General in Los Angeles)
If you are not a Japanese citizen
- Signature: have it certified by a notary public where you live. For a real estate registration in Japan, a signature certified by a foreign notary is accepted when a consular certificate is difficult to get (Ministry of Justice, in Japanese)
- Proof of address (since April 2024, when you become a new registered owner of real estate): an address certificate from the government of your country, or an address certificate made by a notary (such as an affidavit) together with a copy of your passport (Ministry of Justice, in Japanese)
- Attach a Japanese translation to documents in a foreign language
Registering inherited real estate
Since April 2024, heirs must register inherited land or buildings within 3 years of learning that they inherited them; without a good reason, a civil fine of up to 100,000 yen may apply. If the estate has not been divided yet, you can first file a simpler declaration as an heir. The Ministry of Justice offers telephone interpretation for registration questions: 0570-011289, weekdays 9:00 to 17:00 (Ministry of Justice, in English).
FAQ
Can someone else get the signature certificate for me?
No. You must go to the Japanese embassy or consulate in person and sign in front of the consul. Applications by proxy or by mail are not accepted.
I am not a Japanese citizen. What do I use instead of a seal certificate?
Have your signature certified by a notary public where you live. For proof of address, use an address certificate from your government, or a notary's address certificate (such as an affidavit) with a copy of your passport.
Do the documents need a Japanese translation?
Documents in a foreign language submitted for a registration in Japan need a Japanese translation. For proof of address, only the relevant parts (title, name, address, issue date, and the certifying wording) need to be translated.
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