Inheritance · Estate · Wills
An estate arranged clearly is a considered act — for yourself and for those who follow
Holt Blend Park assists with preparing a will, arranging an estate in advance, and administering a division after a death — with attention to family circumstances throughout.
Back to HomeWhat this covers
What Inheritance and Estate Arrangement delivers
Estate matters in Japan involve procedural requirements that are not always visible from the outside, and family circumstances that do not always fit neatly into the standard sequence. This service is approached with attention to both.
The service covers three situations: preparing a will, arranging an estate in advance to reduce uncertainty later, and administering the division of an estate after a death. Each involves different timelines, different documents, and different points where professional guidance makes the process substantially more straightforward. Duration varies from three weeks for a straightforward will to several months for administration.
Estate explained clearly
A written explanation of how the estate would divide with and without a will, before anything is decided.
Real property and business interests
Particular attention to assets that require more than a simple division — real property, shares, and business interests.
Dispute noted, not glossed
Points where a dispute would require separate representation are identified plainly at the outset.
The situation
Estate matters rarely arrive at a convenient time — and often with little preparation
A will is something most people understand they should have. The difficulty is that the moment to address it never quite arrives. There is always a more immediate concern, and the procedural requirements in Japan — notarial wills, the specific rules around handwritten wills, the statutory shares that apply regardless of what a will says — are not well understood from the outside.
When a death occurs without a will, the statutory division applies. This works straightforwardly where there is one heir and no real property. It becomes considerably more complicated where there are multiple heirs, where the estate includes a house or land that cannot be simply divided, or where family circumstances do not map neatly onto the statutory order.
For those administering an estate after a death, the procedural steps required — the family register, the death certificate, the financial institution notifications, the real property transfer registrations — form a sequence that is difficult to navigate alone, particularly during a period when other demands are pressing.
The approach
How this engagement works
Each of the three situations this service covers — will preparation, advance arrangement, and post-death administration — begins with the same step: a plain written explanation of how the estate would be divided under the current law, with and without a will, given the specific composition of assets and family circumstances.
This gives a clear basis for decisions rather than requiring you to make them in the abstract. Where the statutory outcome is acceptable, that can simply be noted and the engagement closed. Where it is not — where the distribution differs from what you had in mind, or where specific assets need to be handled differently — the appropriate documents are prepared from that starting point.
The service is conducted with attention to the family circumstances involved, not only to the documents. Where a situation contains points that would require separate representation if a dispute arose — most often where heirs disagree about the division — these are identified at the outset and noted clearly, so there is no uncertainty about what falls within this engagement and what does not.
Working together
What the process looks like from your side
The process varies depending on which situation applies. The outline below shows the general sequence; the specific timeline is discussed at the review meeting once the circumstances are clear.
Initial exchange
A brief description of your situation by email or telephone. You will receive a response within two working days indicating whether this falls within the scope of the service and, if so, what the next step is.
Review meeting
A meeting in person or by video call to go through the situation in full. This includes the composition of the estate, the family structure, and any particular wishes or concerns. At the end of the meeting, a written summary of the statutory division and the available options is prepared.
Document preparation
For will preparation: three weeks for a straightforward will; longer where the estate involves real property or a business interest that requires more detailed treatment. For administration: the procedural sequence is mapped out at the start, with realistic duration noted at each stage. Progress is communicated without waiting to be asked.
Completion and handover
At the close of the engagement, a plain-language summary of the outcome and any ongoing obligations is provided in writing. For a will, this includes the steps required to ensure it is located and recognised when the time comes. For administration, it covers any registrations or filings that follow completion.
Investment
Transparent fee structure
Inheritance and Estate Arrangement
¥38,000 JPY
Three weeks for a straightforward will; timeline discussed for administration matters
Included
Written explanation of how the estate divides with and without a will under current law
Review of statutory shares and their application to the specific family structure
Preparation of will or advance arrangement documents as applicable
Guidance on real property and business interests where these form part of the estate
Clear notice of points where a dispute would require separate representation
Written handover summary of the outcome and any steps or obligations that follow
The fee stated above covers the scope described. Administration matters — where an estate is being divided after a death — involve a procedural sequence whose duration and complexity depend on the size and composition of the estate. Where the scope extends beyond a straightforward will or advance arrangement, this is discussed at the review meeting and any variation agreed in writing before work proceeds.
Method and timeline
How progress is tracked and what to expect
The timelines below reflect the actual procedural sequence for each situation. Administration timelines depend on the estate and are mapped out at the review meeting rather than given as a standard estimate that may not reflect your situation.
Will preparation — approximately three weeks
Days 1–5
Review meeting, estate summary produced, instruction agreement issued.
Days 6–16
Will drafted, shared for review, questions addressed, final version prepared.
Days 17–21
Will executed in correct form, handover summary provided including storage and recognition steps.
Estate administration — timeline mapped at review meeting
Stage 1
Family register and estate composition confirmed, statutory division explained, points of complexity identified.
Stage 2
Division agreement prepared and executed by heirs. Financial institution and real property registrations filed.
Stage 3
Registrations completed, handover summary issued, any remaining obligations noted in writing.
What to prepare
Document checklist for first contact
The information below is useful to have available when making contact. For will preparation, a brief description of the family structure and assets is sufficient to begin. For administration, the list below is more relevant.
For will preparation or advance arrangement:
A description of the family structure — spouse, children, parents, siblings — and their approximate ages
A rough outline of the assets involved — real property, financial assets, business interests
Any particular wishes about the distribution, including assets you want to ensure go to specific individuals
For administration after a death:
Death certificate and family register (koseki) if already obtained
A list of known assets — bank accounts, property, investments, business interests — and their approximate values
Whether a will exists, and if so, what type and where it is held
Names and contact information for all heirs, and a note of any known disagreements about the division
Our commitment
What you can hold us to
The estate explained before decisions are made
A written explanation of how the estate would divide with and without a will is provided before any documents are drafted. Decisions are made with a full picture of the options, not in the abstract.
Dispute points identified at the outset
Where points exist that would require separate representation if a dispute arose, these are identified at the review meeting and noted clearly in the instruction agreement. There is no ambiguity about what this engagement covers and what it does not.
Everything confirmed in writing
All advice, decisions, and completed documents are confirmed in writing. For a will, the handover includes the steps needed to ensure it is located and recognised. For administration, all completed registrations are documented.
No obligation in making contact
The initial exchange and review meeting carry no commitment to instruct. If after the meeting you decide this is not the right time or approach, you are under no obligation to proceed.
How to start
A straightforward path forward
Making contact requires nothing more than a brief description of your situation. Formal documents are not needed at this stage.
Write to us
Use the contact form on the main page or email info@domain.com with a short description of your situation — whether you are preparing a will, arranging your estate, or dealing with an administration matter after a death. A few sentences is sufficient to begin.
Receive a response within two working days
The response confirms whether this falls within the scope of the service and, if so, proposes a time for the review meeting. If the situation falls outside what Holt Blend Park handles, you will be told plainly and, where possible, directed toward a more appropriate resource.
Attend the review meeting
Held in person in Osaka or by video call, at a time that suits your circumstances. The review meeting produces a written estate summary and a clear account of the options. There is no obligation to instruct after this meeting. If you decide to proceed, the written agreement is issued and work begins from there.
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