# Japan Post for foreign residents: parcels, forwarding and services

URL: https://japanhow.com/life/admin/post-office-japan-foreigners/
Author: JapanHow editors
Updated: Oct 29, 2026

## Summary

As of October 2026, Japan Post forwards mail and parcels from your old address to a new address in Japan for one year, but not overseas. You can hold mail for a total of 30 days with a notice of absence filed in person with ID. EMS ships up to 30 kg to over 120 countries, with rates from ¥1,450. Delivery questions have an English line, 0570-046-111, daily 8:00 to 21:00, and an English translation tool helps at the counter.

## Key facts

- Mail forwarding: 1 year, Japan only
- Hold mail while away: 30 days total
- EMS: Up to 30 kg, from ¥1,450
- English delivery line: 0570-046-111, 8:00-21:00

As of October 2026, the post office in Japan, Japan Post (日本郵便, Nihon Yūbin), will forward mail and parcels from your old address to a new address in Japan for **one year**, but not overseas. It holds your mail for **30 days** while you are away, and ships parcels abroad with EMS from **¥1,450**. Most counter staff speak little English, so the main tools are a translation sheet and an English line for delivery questions.

## What can a foreign resident do at a Japanese post office?

| Need | Service | Key fact (as of October 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Moved house | Mail forwarding (転居届, tenkyo todoke) | One year; to an address in Japan only |
| Away for a while | Notice of absence | Mail held 30 days total; file in advance with ID |
| Missed delivery | Redelivery | English line 0570-046-111, 8:00-21:00 |
| Send abroad, fast | EMS | Up to 30 kg, 120+ countries, from ¥1,450 |
| Send abroad, cheaper | Small packets, International Parcel Post | Small packets under 2 kg; parcel post 2 kg or more |
| Counter language help | Yubisashi translation tool | PDFs in English, Chinese, Korean |

## How does mail forwarding work after you move?

Japan Post says it can forward mail and parcels sent to a former address for one year. You can register online, but that route is in Japanese only. In person, bring ID that shows your former address: a driver's license, passport, resident registration card or residence certificate,.

Forwarding overseas is not available. If you are leaving Japan, you still need to update your address with senders. See our [leaving Japan checklist](/visa/leaving/leaving-japan-checklist/) and [address change guide](/life/admin/moving-within-japan-address-change/).

## How do I hold my mail while I'm away?

File a notice of absence in advance at your local post office and show ID. Japan Post holds your mail for a total of 30 days, then delivery resumes. The English guide describes this as an in-person step.

## How do I send a parcel abroad?

Japan Post lists these main options for goods: EMS, International Air Packet and Small Packets (each for small items under 2 kg), and International Parcel Post (2 kg or more, with a choice of speed and rate).

**EMS** is the fastest. Japan Post says it takes documents and goods up to 30 kg to over 120 countries and territories, and rates start from ¥1,450. Tracking uses a 13-digit number. The EMS page marks its tracking link "Japanese Version Only," while the international mail list page does not, so be ready to use a translation tool or the destination country's postal tracking.

**Handwritten labels are no longer accepted for goods:** Japan Post says handwritten labels can no longer be used to send goods. Create the label through the International Mail My Page Service, which has an Online Shipping Tool and registration in Japanese and English. Items banned by law cannot be sent, and some are restricted by country, so check the destination country's customs rules before you pack.

Check rates, delivery days and prohibited items on Japan Post's fee pages before you go. We did not find delivery times for specific countries on the pages we reviewed, so we give none here.

## What if I do not speak Japanese at the counter?

Japan Post offers the **Yubisashi** translation tool: PDFs in English, Chinese and Korean for sending letters and parcels, asking for redelivery and submitting absence or address-change notices. You point to the phrase you need.

For delivery questions, the English line is **0570-046-111**, daily 8:00 to 21:00. The call is chargeable and does not work from PHS or some IP phones.

## What do I do when a delivery notice is in my mailbox?

You have three routes, as of October 2026:

Japan Post also lists leave-at-door delivery (置き配), lockers called はこぽす at post offices, convenience stores and stations, post office holding (郵便局留), and a convenience store or post office pickup option for Yu-Pack parcels. These pages are in Japanese. For couriers and time slots, see our [parcel delivery guide](/life/admin/package-delivery-japan/).

## What we could not confirm

We did not find an official domestic holding period for undelivered parcels, so check the slip. We also did not confirm how much English the call center staff speak beyond the "English delivery inquiries" label. Japan Post Bank is a separate bank; see [Japan Post Bank for foreigners](/money/banking/japan-post-bank-foreigners/).

## Questions people ask

### Can Japan Post forward my mail to another country?

No. Japan Post forwards mail and parcels sent to a former address for one year, but only to an address in Japan. For a move abroad, tell senders your new address directly.

### How do I hold my mail while I'm away?

Submit a notice of absence in advance at your local post office and show ID. Japan Post holds your mail for a total of 30 days, then delivery resumes.

### What is the fastest way to send a parcel abroad from Japan?

EMS, which Japan Post describes as its fastest international mail service. It takes documents and goods up to 30 kg to over 120 countries and territories, with rates from ¥1,450.

### Is there help in English at the post office?

Japan Post offers a translation tool called Yubisashi (PDFs in English, Chinese and Korean) for sending items, redelivery requests and address-change notices. Delivery inquiries have an English line at 0570-046-111. Many online forms are still Japanese only.

### Can I use Japan Post for banking too?

Japan Post Bank is a separate company with its own account rules. The English pages on postal services do not cover it, so see our Japan Post Bank guide.

## Sources

- [Practical Guide for International Students](https://www.post.japanpost.jp/service/send/oversea/use/howto/students/intl_student/index_en.html), Japan Post (日本郵便) (accessed Oct 29, 2026)
- [EMS](http://www.post.japanpost.jp/service/send/oversea/list/delivery/ems/index_en.html), Japan Post (日本郵便) (accessed Oct 29, 2026)
- [International Mail services list](http://www.post.japanpost.jp/service/send/oversea/list/index_en.html), Japan Post (日本郵便) (accessed Oct 29, 2026)
- [Redelivery request](http://www.post.japanpost.jp/receive/redelivery_form/index.php), Japan Post (日本郵便) (accessed Oct 29, 2026)
- [受け取り](http://www.post.japanpost.jp/receive/), Japan Post (日本郵便) (accessed Oct 29, 2026)