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
Where to go next
This word will come back at the home assessment or in the first care plan. The full Japanese elder care glossary holds 52 terms, and the long-term care insurance guide shows where each one sits in the process.
If you would rather someone handled the Japanese side, our care navigation service does that, and the first consultation is 30 minutes and free. Definitions here are general orientation and rules vary by municipality; see our editorial policy or contact us with your situation.