Articles
Japan’s legal system, official statistics, and inheritance/gift rules explained for a global audience, from a financial planner (FP) perspective.
Digital Asset Inheritance and Protection: An FP × Security Framework
Crypto wallets, online brokerage accounts, cloud photos, subscription services — digital assets get overlooked at inheritance precisely because they're invisible. Here's a framework combining financial planning and security thinking to prepare for, and recover access to, digital assets after a death.
Inheriting a Japanese Bank or Securities Account From Abroad: Documents and Process
A Japanese bank or brokerage account gets frozen once the institution learns the account holder has died. Heirs living overseas can't obtain the inkan certification or residence certificate that domestic heirs use, so substitute documents are required. Here is the practical sequence for unfreezing an account from abroad.
Japan's Spousal Tax Credit: The ¥160M Shelter and the Second-Death Trap
Japan's inheritance tax gives surviving spouses a powerful credit — tax-free up to ¥160,000,000 or their statutory share, whichever is larger. Used carelessly, though, it can raise the combined tax bill your family pays across two successive inheritances. Here is how the credit works and why the second-death math matters.
The Japan-US Estate Tax Treaty: How Foreign Tax Credits Prevent Double Taxation
When US-situs assets or US-resident heirs are part of a Japanese estate, both Japan's inheritance tax and the US federal estate tax can potentially apply to the same property. This guide explains the 1954 Japan-US estate tax treaty and Japan's foreign tax credit mechanism, sourced from the NTA and the IRS.
What Japan's Real Numbers Mean for Your Money: Income, Savings, and Retirement Horizon
Average annual income of ¥4.78M, average household savings of ¥20.59M — headline averages like these are pulled far from what most households actually experience. Using first-party data from Japan's National Tax Agency, the Statistics Bureau, and the health ministry, this guide unpacks the median figures and life-expectancy data that matter more for retirement planning.
Japan's Temporary Foreigner Inheritance Reform (2021): What HR Teams and Foreign Employees Need to Know
The 2021 inheritance tax reform reshaped how 'temporary resident foreigners' on secondment are taxed in Japan. Here's what changed, why, and what it means for expat compensation planning.
Japan Gift Tax Explained: The 2024 Reform (7-Year Add-Back and the New ¥1.1M Deduction)
Japan's gift tax rules changed materially in 2024 — the estate add-back period stretched from 3 years to 7, and a new annual deduction landed inside the early-inheritance settlement system. Here's what actually changed and what it means for lifetime giving.
Japan Inheritance Tax for Non-Residents: Unlimited vs Limited Taxpayer and the 10-Year Rule
Are you taxed on worldwide assets or only Japan-based assets? Your status as an unlimited or limited taxpayer hinges on domicile, nationality, and the 10-year lookback rule.
Japan Inheritance Tax: The Complete Guide for Foreigners and Overseas Heirs
How Japan's inheritance tax actually works for foreign residents, non-residents, and heirs living abroad — with the 2024 reforms, a worked example, and the cross-border traps.