What to do after a British person dies in Japan
This guide gives advice about the death of a British person in Japan, including information on burial, cremation and repatriation.
If you are dealing with the death of a child, multiple deaths, a suspicious death or a case of murder or manslaughter, call +81 (0) 35211 1100 and select Consular Emergency. If you are in the UK, call +44 (0) 207 008 1500.
Contact the insurance company
If the person who died had insurance, contact their insurance company as soon as possible. Insurance providers may help to cover the cost of repatriation. Repatriation is the process of bringing the body home. Insurance providers may also help with medical, legal, interpretation and translation fees.
If the person who died had insurance, the insurance company might appoint a funeral director both locally and in the UK.
What to do if the person who died didn’t have insurance
If you are not sure whether the person who died had insurance, check with their bank, credit card company or employer.
If the person who died did not have insurance, the next of kin will usually have to appoint a funeral director and be responsible for all costs. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides a list of UK-based international funeral directors.
The FCDO cannot help with any costs incurred by a bereavement. In some cases, funeral directors and lawyers may provide services on a pro bono basis. Pro bono work is done for free or for a much reduced cost depending on your circumstances This is decided on a case by case basis.
Charities and organisations that offer support
Some UK-based charities and organisations may be able to offer assistance, support and information to people affected by a death abroad. The FCDO provides a list of UK-based charities and organisations that can help.
Register the death and obtain a death certificate
You will need to file ‘Notification of Death form’ (Shibou Todoke 死亡届) along with the hospital death record or post-mortem report (Shibou Shindansho 死亡診断書 or Shitai Ken-ansho 死体検案書) with the local city, ward or town office within 7 days. You will then be able to apply for a Japanese Death Certificate (Shibou Todoke Kisai Jikou Shoumeisho 死亡届記載事項証明書), translated as a certified copy of the Notification of Death), which you will need to repatriate the body.
You need to tell the local authorities if the person who died suffered from an infectious condition, such as hepatitis or HIV, so they can take precautions against infection.
You do not need to register the death in the UK, but if you wish to, more information can be found at the register a death overseas page. The local death certificate can usually be used in the UK for most purposes, including probate. The local Japanese death certificate can usually be used in the UK for most purposes, including probate. If it is not in English, you will need to obtain and pay for an official translation. The FCDO provides a list of translators in Japan.
Child deaths
There are no separate procedures for deaths involving children.
If a child is a still-born or a child dies before their birth has been registered, a birth registration will need to be done before a death registration can be done. This is normally done on the same day.
When registering the death of a still-born child, the documents needed will be
- Notice of Birth (Shuseitodoke 出生届)
- Notice of Death (Shibou Todoke 死亡届) or Notice of stillbirth (Shizan Todoke 死産届)
Deaths in road traffic accidents
The police carry out enquiries into suspicious deaths and deaths resulting from road accidents. Copies of their reports are not normally given to next of kin.
Deaths investigated as murder or manslaughter
If the local police have confirmed that they are investigating the death as a murder or manslaughter, a team within the FCDO will be able to provide support. You can find more detailed information on how the FCDO can provide support in this guidance.
In cases where a suspect is arrested, the suspect will generally be held for up to 23 days while the police and public prosecutor carry out their investigations. Following this, the suspect will either be discharged or indicted. You can find out more about the initial arrest process in Japan in this guidance.
If a suspect is indicted, the subsequent trial process can move very slowly. Trials and any subsequent appeals can sometimes take years to be completed. You can find out more about the trial process in Japan in this guidance.
Deal with a local post-mortem
Post-mortems are normally performed when the cause of death is unknown, unnatural, sudden or violent. It will also be carried out for deaths outside a hospital such as death in their own home. Post-mortems are carried out by doctors. Cultural or religious sensitivities may not be taken into account. The FCDO cannot stop or interfere with the process.
During a post-mortem, small tissue samples and organs may be removed and retained for testing without the consent of the next of kin. You will not automatically be told if this happens.
If you want a copy of the post-mortem report, you must apply through the coroner in the UK (in the case of a repatriation) or to the local authority dealing with the death.
The body can usually be buried or cremated in Japan or returned to the UK before tests on removed organs are complete. Removed organs are stored and then cremated.
If you wish to recover the organs and you are repatriating the body to England or Wales, contact the offices of the UK coroner. The coroner will ask the British Embassy in Japan to formally request that the removed organs are returned. If you have appointed a lawyer in Japan, you can also instruct them to ask for the organs to be returned.
Bring the body home
If the person who died had insurance, find out if their insurance provider can help cover the cost of repatriation. If so, they will make all the necessary arrangements.
If the person who died is not covered by insurance, you will need to appoint an international funeral director yourself.
There are a number of documents required to transport the body of the person who died back to the UK from Japan:
- Certified copy of the Notification of Death (Shibou Todoke Kisai Jikou Shoumeisho: 死亡届記載事項証明書)
- An embalming certificate issued by the local funeral director (Boufu Shochi Shoumeisho: 防腐処理証明書)
- A certificate indicating the specification of the coffin complies with International Air Transport Association (IATA) regulations, issued by the local undertaker
- A certificate confirming the coffin contains only the remains, issued by a repatriation company
Find an international funeral director
A relative or a formally-appointed representative must appoint a UK-based international funeral director for the person who died to be repatriated to the UK. The FCDO provides a list of UK-based international funeral directors.
Local funeral directors will work with UK-based international funeral directors to make sure all the necessary requirements are met both locally and in the UK. This includes providing documents such as a local civil registry death certificate, a certificate of embalming and a certificate giving permission to transfer the remains to the UK.
The FCDO provides a list of English-speaking funeral directors in Japan.
Advice and financial assistance for repatriation
For organisations and charities that may be able to offer assistance with repatriation, see information on LBT Global in Coping with death abroad: specialist support and advice or repatriation charities in Northern Ireland and Wales.
If you want to have a post-mortem in the UK after the body has been repatriated, you can request one from a UK coroner. The coroner will decide if a post-mortem is needed. If you want the person who died to be cremated, you need to apply for a certificate from the coroner (form ‘Cremation 6’).
Bring the ashes home
You[1] should not have the person cremated abroad if you want a UK coroner to conduct an inquest into their death.
If you choose local cremation and wish to take the ashes back to the UK yourself, you can usually do so. Check with your airline about specific restrictions or requirements, for example whether you can carry the ashes in your hand luggage.
To leave Japan with human ashes you will need to:
- show the certificate of cremation (Kasou Shoumeisho 火葬証明書)
- show the certified copy of the Notification of Death (Shibou Todoke Kisai Jikou Shoumeisho 死亡届記載事項証明書)
- show a sealing certificate (Ikotsu Shoumeisho 遺骨証明書) confirming that the urn contains nothing but ashes (a repatriation company or funeral director can issue this)
- fill in a standard customs form when you arrive home
If it is not possible for you to transport the ashes yourself, a funeral director may be able to make the necessary arrangements. The FCDO provides a list of UK-based international funeral directors.
Bury or cremate the body locally
To have a local burial or cremation, a relative or a formally appointed representative needs to appoint a local funeral director.
The FCDO provides a list of UK-based international funeral directors.
The FCDO also provides a list of English-speaking funeral directors in Japan and also a list of
If a local burial or cremation takes place, a coroner’s inquest will not be carried out in the UK.
Retrieve belongings
Personal belongings found on the person who died at the time of death are given to the police if the family is not present.
If you choose to repatriate, instruct the local funeral director to collect all personal belongings from the police or court and ship them together with the body.
You will need to collect and ship any personal belongings back to the UK. The employer or sponsor of the person who died can also collect and return these.
If there is an investigation into the death, clothing may be retained as evidence and will not be returned until the court case is finished.
The FCDO cannot help with the cost or take responsibility for returning personal belongings to the family.
Find a translator
You may need a translator to help understand information from local authorities or get certain documents translated. The FCDO provides a list of English-speaking translators in Japan.
Find a lawyer
You can apply to appoint a lawyer in certain circumstances, such as a suspicious death. The FCDO provides a list of English-speaking lawyers in Japan.
Cancel a passport
To avoid identity fraud, the passport of the person who died should be cancelled with Her Majesty’s Passport Office (HMPO). To do this, you need to complete a D1 form.
If you plan to repatriate the person who died to the UK, you may require their passport to do this. In these circumstances, you should cancel the passport after they have been repatriated.
Check you have done everything you need to do in the UK
Check this step-by-step guide for when someone dies to make sure you have done everything you need to do in the UK after someone has died. You can find information on how to tell the government about the death, UK pensions and benefits and dealing with the estate of the person who died.
Disclaimer
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides lists of service providers for information only, to assist British nationals who may need support overseas. This list is not exhaustive and is subject to change at any time. None of the service providers are endorsed or recommended by the FCDO. You should research whether a service provider will be suitable. The FCDO does not accept any liability arising to any person for any loss or damage suffered through using these service providers or this information.
Last updated 22 April 2024 + show all updates
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Update of some details relating to child deaths, road traffic accidents, and deaths investigated as murder or manslaughter.
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First published.