System for Certificate of Record of Owned Real Estate

〜Enforced on February 2, 2026〜

Japanese Article

Background

In recent years, a growing number of properties have remained without inheritance registration after succession, creating social issues involving land and buildings whose owners cannot be identified.

In response to this issue, inheritance registration became mandatory on April 1, 2024.

In inheritance matters, it is not uncommon for heirs to be unsure of where a deceased family member owned real estate.

Before this system was introduced, heirs often had to investigate the deceased’s real estate holdings by consulting relatives and tracing fixed asset tax notices and receipts.

In some cases, heirs were unaware of remote land properties or long-unused properties, which led to overlooked inheritance registrations.

In light of these circumstances, the “System for Certificate of Record of Owned Real Estate” was introduced on February 2, 2026.

Under this system, the Legal Affairs Bureau searches registry records based on an individual and issues a certificate listing the real property owned by the deceased in list format.

Procedure

1. Application – Submit the designated application form to the Legal Affairs Bureau with search criteria such as name, address and so on.

2. Search – The registrar searches for relevant property records based on the submitted criteria.

3. Issuance – A certificate listing the identified properties is issued.

By using the "System for Certificate of Record of Owned Real Estate", heirs can more accurately identify the deceased’s real estate holdings, helping prevent missed inheritance registrations and facilitating smoother inheritance registration procedures.

Eligible Applicants

• The owner themself (registered owner of title)

• Heirs of the registered owner

• Other general successors

• Authorized agents of the above (e.g., attorneys, judicial scriveners)

Application Methods and Fees

Two application methods are available: paper application and online application.

◼︎ Paper Application (per search condition / per certificate)

• Legal Affairs Bureau counter: JPY 1,600

• By mail: JPY 1,600

◼︎ Online Application (per search condition / per certificate)

• Counter pickup: JPY 1,470

• Mail delivery: JPY 1,500

Processing Time

Processing time varies depending on the registry office. Please confirm with the relevant office in advance.

Depending on congestion, issuance may take several weeks.

Please also note that inheritance registration is generally subject to a 3-year deadline from the date the heir becomes aware of both the commencement of inheritance and acquisition of ownership of the subject property. Applicants are encouraged to schedule accordingly.

Main Required Documents

Required documents vary depending on the applicant.

◼︎ If requested by the owner (registered owner of title):

• Seal registration certificate (no issuance expiration; registered seal required on application)

• Identification document (driver’s license, My Number card, etc.)

◼︎ If requested by heirs / general successors:

• Above documents, plus proof of inheritance / succession

• Family register (koseki) / statutory heir information list, etc.

◼︎ If requested by an agent:

• Above documents, plus power of attorney

• Applicant’s seal registration certificate and registered seal required

Important Notes

If the search criteria entered on the application do not match the registry information, the property list may not be accurately generated.

In such cases, a certificate stating that no applicable property was found may be issued, and fees are non-refundable.

Multiple search conditions may be included on one application form; however, multiple individuals may not be listed in a single search field.

Older registry information not digitized in the system may not appear in search results.

Only properties with ownership registration are searchable; properties with unclear rights status are excluded.

Practical Use Cases

This system is useful when there is uncertainty regarding the deceased’s real estate holdings.

Examples include:

• Where the deceased may have owned property in multiple regions

• Where heirs do not have a full understanding of the deceased’s property portfolio

To help avoid missing mandatory inheritance registrations, consider using this system when appropriate.

For details and the latest information regarding the “System for Certificate of Record of Owned Real Estate”, please refer to the latest official guidance.