When someone dies in Japan: procedures, funeral and repatriation

The death procedures for a foreigner in Japan start with a death notification (死亡届, shibō todoke) must be filed at the city office within 7 days of learning of the death, and the city issues the burial or cremation permit at that time. As of October 2026, the residence card goes back to immigration within 14 days, and Japanese law generally bars cremation or burial earlier than 24 hours after death. Contact the embassy early, because sending remains home depends on the country.

What is the order of steps?

Who files the death notice, and where?

Yokohama City lists the filers in order: a relative who lived with the deceased (other relatives can also file), other people who lived with the deceased, then the homeowner, landowner or property manager. Nagoya International Center says a funeral home may file instead.

You file at the municipal office where the person died or where the filer lives (Nagoya). Documents named by the cities:

• the death notification form with the doctor’s death certificate
• ID of the filer, such as a passport or residence card, and a seal if you have one (Nagoya)
• the deceased’s passport, National Health Insurance card and pension book (Minato)

Foreign residents have no Japanese family register, but Yokohama says the Family Registration Law still applies to a death in Japan, so the notice must be filed. Requirements differ slightly by city, so call the office first. Yokohama’s call center answers in English, Chinese, Spanish, Korean and Tagalog (045-664-2525).

What is the cremation permit and the 24-hour rule?

The burial or cremation permit (埋火葬許可証, maika-sō kyoka-shō) is issued by the city office when the notice is filed. Yokohama says that if there are no discrepancies, it is issued on the spot, and it asks for the deceased’s nationality, address and the crematorium. Nagoya International Center calls the permit “absolutely necessary” to bury or cremate in Japan.

The law (Law No. 48 of 1948, Article 3) says a body shall not be buried or cremated earlier than 24 hours after death, except as provided by ordinances. Article 5 requires a permit from the head of the city, town or village.

Cremation is standard practice. Burial is allowed only in locations approved by the prefectural governor, and few funeral homes offer it. If you want a burial, Nagoya International Center suggests consulting the embassy, a religious organization or your community first.

What must be done with the residence card?

A relative or a person living with the deceased must return the residence card within 14 days of the death, or from the date it is found. The Immigration Services Agency says failure may lead to a fine. You can bring it to the regional immigration office covering the deceased’s residence, or mail it with the agency’s reference form and a document proving the reason, such as a death certificate or family register copy, to the Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau Odaiba branch. Write “在留カード等返納” on the envelope. Special permanent residents follow the same 14-day rule.

Yokohama says that if the deceased was married to a Japanese spouse, you need to apply for a change of status of residence at a Regional Immigration Bureau office. Ask immigration or a 行政書士 about your own case.

What about health insurance and pension?

Nagoya International Center says to cancel within 5 to 14 days: contact the city or town office for National Health Insurance or National Pension, or the employer for social insurance and employee pension. See National Health Insurance for foreigners. We did not confirm whether any survivor benefits apply to foreign residents.

How do I send the body or ashes home?

Start with the embassy or consulate. Requirements differ by country, and we could only review the UK government’s guidance in full. As an example, the UK lists:

• a certified copy of the Notification of Death (the UK also says you must obtain and pay for an official translation if the Japanese death certificate is not in English)
• for a body: an embalming certificate, a coffin specification certificate meeting IATA rules, and a certificate that the coffin holds only the remains
• for ashes: the certificate of cremation, the certified copy of the Notification of Death and, on arrival in the UK, a standard customs form

The UK says insurance may cover repatriation; otherwise the next of kin is usually responsible for costs, and the FCDO cannot help with them. It also publishes a list of English-speaking funeral directors in Japan. Other embassies publish their own lists and rules; ask yours.

If a post-mortem is carried out, the UK FCDO says it cannot stop or interfere with the process, and that the body can usually be buried, cremated or returned to the UK before tests on removed organs are complete. This is UK guidance; ask your own embassy.

What we could not confirm

We found no verified figures for funeral, cremation or repatriation costs, and the U.S. Embassy’s page blocked our review. Rules for inheritance, bank accounts and property are not covered here; see our inheritance tax guide for background and ask a lawyer or 行政書士.

Related: life insurance for foreigners, emergency numbers in Japan and English-speaking hospitals.