When no relative is nearby to handle the funeral, accounts, and paperwork after a death, this contract appoints someone to carry out those steps. It is the practical companion to guardianship, which ends at death and does not cover the aftermath. Families overseas assume someone will simply manage it; without arrangement, no one has the authority. For a parent living alone in Japan, set this up in advance alongside a guarantor.
Read more: When a parent dies: procedures
Related terms
- 死亡診断書（shibou shindansho）— death certificate
- 身元保証人（mimoto hoshounin）— guarantor
- 任意後見（nin'i kouken）— voluntary guardianship
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).