Inheritance procedures in Japan require the collection of family register documents — koseki, joseki, and kaiseigenkoeseki — tracing the deceased from birth to death. When the deceased changed their registered domicile multiple times, obtaining all the required records can mean submitting requests to more than ten different municipal offices. The Statutory Heir Information Certificate system (法定相続情報証明制度) dramatically reduces this burden. This article explains how the system works, its benefits, the registration procedure, and where it can be used.
What Is the Statutory Heir Information Certificate System?
Introduced in May 2017, the Statutory Heir Information Certificate system allows heirs to submit a complete set of family register documents to the Legal Affairs Bureau (法務局) once, and receive a certified copy of a Statutory Heir Information List (法定相続情報一覧図) for free.
The certified copy can then be submitted to each institution handling a part of the estate (banks, the Legal Affairs Bureau for property registration, tax office, pension office, etc.) in turn, eliminating the need to collect and copy the same documents multiple times. Additional copies can be obtained free of charge for up to 5 years after initial issuance.
Comparison: Traditional Approach vs. Using the Certificate System
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Traditional approach
Submit originals (or certified copies) of all family register documents to each institution separately. If there are multiple financial institutions, the same documents must be collected and submitted multiple times, significantly extending the overall process. -
Using the Statutory Heir Information Certificate system
Collect the full set of family register documents once, submit to the Legal Affairs Bureau, and receive multiple copies of the certified heir list. Submit one copy to each institution. No need to wait for original documents to be returned — multiple procedures can proceed in parallel.
How to Create and Register the Heir Information List
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① Collect the required family register documents
· All koseki, joseki, and kaiseigenkoeseki for the deceased from birth to death
· The deceased's certificate of registered domicile removal (住民票の除票) or residence history certificate
· Current koseki for each heir (to confirm inheritance relationships)
· Each heir's residence certificate (任意 — needed only if you want addresses included in the list) -
② Draft the Statutory Heir Information List
Prepare a family-tree-style diagram on A4 paper listing the deceased and all heirs, including each person's name, date of birth, relationship, and address (optional). Sample formats are available on the Legal Affairs Bureau website. Administrative scriveners and judicial scriveners can prepare this on your behalf. -
③ Submit to the Legal Affairs Bureau
Submit to a Legal Affairs Bureau with jurisdiction over the deceased's registered domicile, last address, the applicant's address, or the location of any real estate in the estate. Postal submission is accepted. The filing fee is free. -
④ Receive the certified copies
After the registrar confirms the content, certified copies of the list are issued. Any number of copies can be issued free of charge.
Procedures Where the Certified List Can Be Used
- Inheritance registration for real estate (Legal Affairs Bureau)
- Bank account name changes, closures, and fund withdrawals
- Inheritance tax filing (National Tax Agency)
- Survivor's pension and unpaid pension claims (Japan Pension Service)
- Securities name changes (securities firms)
- Vehicle title transfers (Transport Branch Office)
Limitations and Caveats
- Preparing and registering the list still requires collecting all family register documents — the initial document-gathering burden is not reduced.
- Complications arise when there are disclaimants (相続放棄者), disinherited heirs, or secondary inheritance situations (数次相続).
- Some financial institutions may still request original koseki in addition to the certified list — confirm with each institution.
Connection to Compulsory Inheritance Registration (From April 2024)
Since April 1, 2024, inheritance registration for real estate has been mandatory (required within 3 years of learning of the inheritance). Using the Statutory Heir Information Certificate system allows you to handle real estate registration and financial institution procedures in parallel efficiently. We recommend beginning the document collection and list preparation process as early as possible.
How Sakura Central Legal Office Can Help
We prepare the Statutory Heir Information List, represent you in the registration application, assist with family register document collection, and handle the full range of inheritance procedures — all through our licensed administrative scriveners. Whether you find the document collection or list preparation overwhelming, want to delegate all financial institution and real estate procedures to a professional, or need to comply with the mandatory registration requirement, please contact us for a free initial consultation.
For Statutory Heir Information List preparation, estate procedure support, and compulsory inheritance registration compliance, contact Sakura Central Legal Office.
Free initial consultation.