Practical guidance
What to do if someone dies in Japan
This guide explains what happens after a death in Japan, who to contact, and how to arrange for your loved one to be brought home to the UK. The information comes from FCDO and government sources. Every situation is different, and if you need someone to guide you through it, our team is available any time.
Typical timeline
14-21 days
Typical cost
GBP 4,000-10,000
FCDO 24hr helpline
+44 (0)20 7008 5000
Japan operates on a near-total cremation default. The country’s cremation rate is 99.9%, confirmed by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in 2022. The entire funeral infrastructure assumes cremation will happen, quickly, as a matter of course. If your family member needs to come home for burial in the UK, you must act on this the moment you are notified.
Call 119 for an ambulance. Call 110 if you need police. In Japan, a licensed physician must certify the death and issue the 死亡診断書 (Shi-bou Shindan-sho), the death notification certificate. Any sudden, unattended, or suspicious death triggers automatic police notification. The medical examiner may order a gyousei kansatsu, an administrative inspection, which functions similarly to a coroner’s post-mortem in the UK.
Your first action: stop any cremation preparation.
If the deceased is at a hospital or being transferred to a funeral home, contact that institution directly and state explicitly in writing that full-body repatriation to the UK is required and that no cremation preparation should begin. The British Embassy Tokyo (+81 3 5211 1100) can help you communicate this in Japanese if there is any language barrier.
The Embassy maintains a list of funeral directors in Tokyo and Osaka with experience in Western full-body repatriation. Outside these two cities, this expertise is rare. If the death occurred in Kyoto, Hiroshima, Nagoya, or a rural area, the funeral director there may need to transfer the case to a Tokyo or Osaka specialist.
Notify your travel insurer immediately. Japan has high medical costs. If your family member received hospital treatment before death, those costs may be significant. Confirm that your policy covers full-body repatriation, not just ashes return.
The documentation process
The Shi-bou Shindan-sho is issued in Japanese only. It must be officially translated into English by a certified translator before it is valid for UK legal purposes. Embalming in Japan is available through specialist international funeral directors, but it is not a standard service. Allow additional time for sourcing a zinc-lined coffin, which is not a standard item in Japan.
The full documentation set includes the Japanese death certificate with certified English translation, police clearance if applicable, embalming certificate, export permit from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and the deceased’s passport. Processing takes five to ten working days after the body is released.
Japan Airlines and ANA both operate cargo services from Tokyo Narita (NRT) to London Heathrow. Flight time is approximately 12 to 13 hours direct. British Airways also has direct Tokyo-London cargo capacity.
On arrival in the UK, the receiving funeral director notifies the coroner. Certified English translations of the Japanese documents should accompany the remains. Deaths from natural causes with proper documentation are unlikely to require a UK inquest.
For the full process, costs and documentation checklist, see our repatriation from Japan guide.
First things first
What to do in the first 24 hours
The immediate period after a death abroad is disorienting. Here are the steps in the order they normally need to happen.
Contact local emergency services
Call 119 for ambulance or 110 for police. In Japan, a licensed physician must certify the death and issue a death notification document. Any sudden, unnatural, or suspicious death is automatically referred to the police (Keisatsu) and may be subject to a judicial administrative inspection. Contact your insurer and the British Embassy Tokyo immediately.
Local emergency number: 119 (ambulance), 110 (police)
Contact the British Embassy or consulate
Notify the British Embassy in Tokyo as soon as possible. They can give you a list of local English-speaking funeral directors and explain what the local authorities will need.
Embassy: +81 3 5211 1100
FCDO 24hr: +44 (0)20 7008 5000
Appoint a local funeral director
A local funeral director in Japan will take care of the body, arrange embalming, obtain the necessary documents, and coordinate with airlines. The embassy can recommend accredited directors. You can also contact a specialist UK repatriation company, who will coordinate with a local partner on your behalf.
Contact your travel insurer
If your loved one had travel insurance with repatriation cover, contact the insurer immediately. They will often have an emergency assistance line and may appoint their own funeral director. They may cover the full cost of repatriation, which can be GBP 4,000-10,000.
Travel insurance is essential for Japan. The cost of medical care in Japan before death can be very high, and repatriation costs are significant. Confirm your policy covers full-body repatriation, not just cremation and ashes return.
Gather the required documents
Repatriation from Japan requires specific paperwork before a body can be transported. Your local funeral director will handle most of this.
- æ»亡診æ–Â書 (Japanese death certificate) with certified English translation
- Police release document (if applicable)
- Embalming certificate
- Permission to export human remains from Japan (Ministry of Health involvement)
- Passport of deceased
- Certified translations of all Japanese documents
Documentation typically takes 5-10 working days to complete.
Official support
British Embassy in Tokyo
The embassy can provide information and a list of local funeral directors, but they cannot arrange or pay for repatriation. Contact them early to register the death with consular services.
What the embassy can do
What the embassy cannot do
What to expect
How long does it take?
Factors that can extend the timeline
- Police investigation for unnatural deaths (Keisatsu notification mandatory)
- Translation of all Japanese documents into English required
- Japanese judicial post-mortem (gyousei kansatsu) ordered
- Death in a remote area (Japan Alps, rural Kyushu, Hokkaido)
Cost guide
How much does it cost?
| Embalming | GBP 400-900 |
| Zinc-lined coffin | GBP 600-1,200 |
Japan's funeral industry is highly developed but oriented entirely towards cremation. Full-body repatriation is unusual for Japanese families (Japan has a 99.9% cremation rate) but is a standard requirement for British families. Funeral directors experienced with Western repatriation requirements are primarily found in Tokyo and Osaka.
If a post-mortem is required
In Japan, any sudden, unnatural, suspicious, or unattended death triggers mandatory police notification and a gyousei kansatsu (administrative inspection). A judicial post-mortem is ordered if the cause of death is unclear. Japan's forensic pathology infrastructure is well-developed.. Adds 7-21 days. Translation of Japanese documents adds further time. This is the most common source of extended timelines for UK families.
Common questions
Questions families ask about deaths in Japan
Repatriation from Japan typically takes 14-21 days. The fastest is 10 days with no complications. Complex cases involving a post-mortem or police investigation can take 35+ days.
The typical cost is GBP 4,000-10,000. This covers local funeral director fees, embalming, a zinc-lined coffin, documentation, air freight to the UK, and reception at a UK funeral home. The main variable is air freight, which depends on the destination airport and flight frequency.
Your local funeral director in Japan will gather most documents on your behalf. The core documents required are: a local death certificate, an embalming certificate, a freedom from infection certificate, and airline cargo documentation. The full documentation process typically takes 5-10 working days.
Cremation in Japan is available. If your loved one is cremated abroad, returning ashes to the UK typically costs . Japan has a cremation rate of approximately 99.9% (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, 2022). Cremation is the default outcome for deaths in Japan, including deaths of foreign nationals. If your family member has religious or personal objections to cremation, you must act quickly and explicitly instruct the Japanese funeral director and hospital that full-body repatriation is required. This must be documented in writing before any preparations begin.
Please contact our team for guidance on this question. We are available 24 hours a day via our enquiry form or WhatsApp.
Full repatriation guide for Japan
Detailed information on the full repatriation process, embassy contacts, cost breakdown, cultural considerations, and more.
View full guideCremation in Japan
If local cremation is the right choice for your family, our country guide covers the documentation, airline rules, and costs.
Cremation guideSpeak to our team
We coordinate repatriations from Japan every week. If you need someone to take over the arrangements, call us now.
WhatsApp us nowReviewed by the Repatriate Service editorial team. Information sourced from UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) guidance, official embassy contacts, and professional repatriation experience. Updated May 2026.
Sources: FCDO gov.uk · Repatriation from Japan · Frequently asked questions