The doctor's death certificate is the document that unlocks everything afterward: notifying the municipality, the funeral, the bank, the estate. Nothing official proceeds without it. The family needs originals, and several copies, since many offices each demand one. From abroad, know which doctor issues it depending on where the parent dies. Securing it promptly is the first practical step once a parent has passed, before any other procedure can begin.
Read more: When a parent dies: procedures
Related terms
- 看取り（mitori）— end-of-life care
- 死後事務委任契約（shigo jimu inin）— post-death affairs mandate
- 身元保証人（mimoto hoshounin）— guarantor
Getting help with this
See the full Japanese elder care glossary, or start with our long-term care insurance guide. If you would rather have someone handle the Japanese side, our care navigation service helps foreign families step by step, and you can contact us with your situation. Definitions are general orientation; rules vary by municipality (see our editorial policy).