Repatriation of Remains vs. Cremation in Japan

Repatriation of remains from Japan means sending the body of someone who died in Japan to another country, and it is one of three choices a family faces alongside cremation in Japan and burial in Japan. Japan cremates almost everyone, so cremation is fast and routine, while body repatriation and burial are possible but slower, costlier, and closed off the moment a cremation takes place.¹²

Confirm current details with official sources

Procedures, fees, and requirements can change. Confirm current details at the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) site.

Overview

This guide is for families deciding what happens to a foreign national's body after a death in Japan, whether they are in Japan or abroad. The notification and permit steps that come first are covered in When a Foreign Resident Dies in Japan: The First 14 Days; this article starts at the point where the family must choose.

The rules that bind most tightly come from the destination country and the airline, not from Japan.²³ Japan's own rules are few: a municipal permit for every burial or cremation, and a minimum wait after death before either can happen.⁴

The three pathways

The Australian Embassy in Tokyo describes the options in these terms: embalm the body and return it home, cremate in Japan and return the ashes, or cremate in Japan and keep the ashes in Japan.² Burial of the body in Japan is a fourth option, lawful but rare.⁴

• Cremation in Japan. The body is cremated at a Japanese crematorium, and the ashes are carried home by a relative, sent as cargo, or kept in Japan.
• Body repatriation. The body is embalmed, sealed in a coffin, and flown home as air cargo for a funeral or burial there.
• Burial in Japan. The body is buried in one of the small number of Japanese cemeteries that accept burial.

Cremation is the near-universal outcome. MHLW figures for FY2022 show 1,627,558 cremations against 490 burials, a cremation rate of 99.97% (as of FY2022 data; confirm current figures with the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare).¹

Burial is not banned. The Act on Graveyards and Burials (墓地、埋葬等に関する法律, bochi maisō hō) defines burial as placing a body in the ground and regulates where and when it may happen, without prohibiting it.⁴⁵⁶

Why the choice has to be made early

Under Article 3 of the Act, burial or cremation may not take place until 24 hours have passed since death, unless another law provides otherwise.⁴ The statute names burial and cremation only. The Australian Embassy in Tokyo describes the rule as applying "until cremation or embalming may begin"; that is the embassy's description, and the statute itself does not mention embalming.²

Cremation closes off the other two options

Once a body is cremated, it can no longer be repatriated or buried, and for some destinations, such as the UK, a home-country inquest may no longer be possible.⁷ Tell the funeral home on the first call if body repatriation or burial is under consideration, and do not book a cremation until the family has agreed.

Destination rules can make cremation irreversible in a legal sense too. GOV.UK advises: "You should not have the person cremated abroad if you want a UK coroner to conduct an inquest."⁷

The Australian Embassy says final arrangements would normally need to be made within a maximum of one week after death (as of October 2026).² It also warns that a lack of immediate funds for transport and cold storage "could lead to the unilateral disposition of remains as a public health hazard by the local authorities."²

Who makes the decision

Insurers often take control of the arrangements when they are paying. Allianz Care, as one example, asks members to call its Helpline "before speaking to any alternative providers" and reserves "the right to decline all costs incurred" for services it did not organize (as of October 2026).⁸

Without insurance, GOV.UK notes that "the next of kin will usually have to appoint a funeral director and be responsible for all costs."⁷ For a body returning to the UK, a relative or representative must appoint a UK-based international funeral director.⁷

Disputes over who controls the remains are covered in When a Foreign Resident Dies in Japan: The First 14 Days. A will or written funeral wishes can help, but they are often found too late to steer the choice; see Wills for Foreign Residents in Japan: Types, Law, and Validity.

Comparing the options

The flowchart below shows how the first two questions, whether cremation is acceptable and where the remains should rest, lead to each pathway.

The table compares the four practical routes. Documents listed are UK examples (as of 2025-11-03; confirm current requirements with GOV.UK); the destination country and the airline decide the full set.⁷

Pathway	What happens in Japan	What travels	Main documents (examples)	Suits
Cremation, ashes carried home	Cremation after the 24-hour minimum; family collects the bones into an urn49	Bone fragments in an urn, as baggage23	UK example: certificate of cremation and certified copy of the Notification of Death7	Cremation-compatible traditions; a relative able to fly
Cremation, ashes sent as cargo	Same as above	Ashes shipped as cargo by a specialist3	As above, plus any carrier requirements	No one able to travel
Body repatriation	Embalming by a certified embalmer; sealed coffin; air cargo103	The body, as air cargo3	UK example: death notification copy, embalming certificate, IATA coffin certificate, contents certificate7	Burial-only traditions; a funeral at home; a destination inquest
Burial in Japan	Burial at a cemetery that permits it4	Nothing leaves Japan	Municipal burial permit (埋葬許可証, maisō kyokashō)4	Burial-only traditions where repatriation is not wanted

No source gives a reliable total time for any pathway. The only fixed point is the 24-hour minimum before cremation or burial.⁴ Body repatriation adds embalming, documents, and cargo booking, and burial adds finding a cemetery that accepts it.

The Australian Embassy in Tokyo publishes yen cost estimates for return to Australia (as of October 2026).² No sourced figure exists for burial in Japan or for ashes sent as cargo, so the table gives no amount for those rows.

Pathway	Indicative cost	As of	Source
Embalming and return of the body to Australia	¥1,500,000	October 2026 (page undated)	Australian Embassy Tokyo2
Cremation in Japan and return of the ashes to Australia	¥700,000	October 2026 (page undated)	Australian Embassy Tokyo2
Burial in Japan	No sourced figure	n/a	Varies with the cemetery and the distance to it
Ashes sent as cargo	No sourced figure	n/a	Varies with the shipper and destination

The embassy calls these "estimates that are subject to change."² Costs vary "depending on where the remains must be transported from, the quality of casket, the size and condition of the remains, and other consideration such as religious ceremonies."²

Cremating in Japan and taking the ashes home

This is the most common pathway, and the one where a family member does most of the practical work.

The flowchart below traces the pathway from cremation to arrival. The family collects the bones into an urn and receives the endorsed cremation permit, the ashes then travel as baggage or as cargo, and the destination sets the checks on arrival.^941131227

What you receive after a Japanese cremation

Japanese cremation does not produce fine ash. The Australian Embassy notes that it leaves "somewhat larger-sized pieces of bone," and that bone can be processed into fine powder (粉骨, funkotsu) for an additional charge.²

After cremation, the family usually collects the bones into an urn. Crematoria use two methods, and the default depends on the region.⁹

Term	Reading	Meaning
収骨	shūkotsu	Bone collection after cremation
全収骨	zenshūkotsu	Full collection: as much bone as possible goes into the urn; common in eastern Japan
部分収骨	bubun shūkotsu	Partial collection: bones that do not fit are left; common in western Japan, including Kansai
骨壺	kotsutsubo	Bone urn

Kōchi City Crematorium explains that full collection needs a large urn of about 6–7 寸 (sun, a traditional unit of about 3 cm, so roughly 18–21 cm), that families choose the method by the cremation day, and that leftover bones receive a joint memorial service and are buried by the crematorium.⁹ If the family wants all the remains, tell the funeral home before the cremation.

The crematorium then records the cremation on the cremation permit (火葬許可証, kasō kyokashō) and returns it to the person who requested the cremation.⁴ Sakai City hands the endorsed permit over at bone collection and stresses that it is essential for any later interment (as of 2026-03-11; confirm current procedures with your municipality or crematorium).¹¹

Some crematoria also issue separate documents. Practice varies by municipality, as these two examples show.

Document	Issued by	When or condition	Fee	As of	Source
Endorsed cremation permit (火葬許可証)	Crematorium	Returned at bone collection	None stated	2026-03-11	Sakai11
Cremation certificate (火葬証明書, kasō shōmeisho), Hiroshima	Crematorium	On request after cremation, or if the permit is lost; phone ahead	¥350	2026-02-24	Hiroshima13
Cremation certificate (火葬証明書), Sakai	Crematorium where the cremation took place	If the permit is lost; some temples and cemeteries may not accept it, in which case the ward office reissues the permit	None stated	2026-03-11	Sakai11
Divided-ashes certificate (分骨証明書, bunkotsu shōmeisho), Sakai	Crematorium office	Apply before bone collection; issued only on the cremation day	None stated	2026-03-11	Sakai11
Divided-ashes certificate (分骨証明書), Hiroshima	Crematorium	Request at cremation and bring separate urns	None stated	2026-02-24	Hiroshima13

The ceremony itself is described in Funeral Etiquette in Japan.

Documents to carry with the ashes

There is no single international list. IATA guidance says documentation "might include a death certificate, certificate of embalming, cremation certificate or any other certificate required by national legislation," and documents not in English or the destination's language may need a certified translation.³

Two embassy examples show how far requirements differ:

• United Kingdom. The certificate of cremation and the certified copy of the Notification of Death, plus a customs form on arrival (as of 2025-11-03).⁷
• Philippines (Filipino nationals). A Report of Death, a certified true copy of the death certificate from the city or ward office, the original cremation certificate, permit, or separation document, the deceased's original passport, the consignee's passport, and the flight itinerary. The embassy then issues a Consular Mortuary Certificate, for a fee the page does not state (as of October 2026).¹⁴

For a Japanese national whose ashes go to the Philippines, the embassy asks for an apostilled family register and apostilled cremation documents, and has not required embassy authentication of apostilled documents since 14 May 2019 (as of October 2026).¹⁴ How to obtain death documents, translations, and apostilles is covered in When a Foreign Resident Dies in Japan: The First 14 Days and Apostille and Hague Convention Authentication.

A "consular sealing letter" or "consular transit letter" is not a universal requirement. Among the embassy pages reviewed, only the Philippines and Cameroon describe an embassy-issued transport document, under different names, and the UK lists none for ashes.¹⁴¹⁵⁷

Airline rules and airport security

IATA guidance says "cremated human remains are usually accepted in any aircraft without advance arrangements" and that the urn "can be transported in either carry-on or checked baggage. Policies might vary."³ The urn goes through X-ray screening and "must be efficiently protected against breakage by cushioning packaging."³

Finnair is one example of a carrier policy. It accepts cremated remains in carry-on or checked baggage within the allowance, asks passengers to carry a death certificate, and warns that a container the X-ray cannot see through "may not be allowed through the security check" (as of October 2026).¹²

Choose an urn the X-ray can see through

An urn made of material that blocks the X-ray can be refused at security.¹² Ask the funeral home for a lighter, X-ray-transparent travel container, keep it in hand baggage, and confirm the rules with your own airline before the flight.

Arriving in the home country

The destination decides what must be declared and shown at arrival. These examples are illustrations, not a full list:

• Australia. The container should be free of contaminants such as soil and not be made of wood, and the ashes must be declared to Agriculture Biosecurity on arrival (as of October 2026).²
• United Kingdom. Complete a customs form on arrival (as of 2025-11-03).⁷
• United States. The CDC requires no import permit for fully cremated remains (as of 2025-12-04).¹⁶
• Philippines. The embassy issues a Consular Mortuary Certificate for ashes (as of October 2026).¹⁴

Check with the deceased's embassy before departure. Requirements change, and only the destination can confirm what its border officers will ask for.

Sending ashes as cargo or by courier

IATA guidance confirms that cremated remains "may be shipped as cargo or may be carried by passengers as part of their baggage."³ Ordinary postal and courier routes are far more restricted.

Service	Rule for cremated remains	As of	Source
Japan Post UGX (ゆうグローバルエクスプレス, Yū Gurōbaru Ekusupuresu)	Remains not accepted for any destination	2026-10-09	Japan Post17
Japan Post international mail to the United States	Prohibited (letters, parcels, EMS)	2026-10-09	Japan Post18
Japan Post international mail to the United Kingdom	Prohibited (letters, parcels, EMS)	2026-10-09	Japan Post19
Japan Post international mail to Nepal	Conditionally admitted with a death certificate from the sending country (letters, parcels)	2026-10-09	Japan Post20
DHL Express (Japan site)	"Human remains or ashes in any form" prohibited	2026-10-09	DHL21

Japan Post rules differ by destination, so check the country page before sending anything (as of 2026-10-09).²² For destinations not listed here, the absence of an entry on a Japan Post page does not mean the service accepts ashes; ask the carrier and the destination directly.

Keeping some or all of the ashes in Japan

Ashes can be divided so that part stays in Japan and part travels. Hiroshima and Sakai issue a divided-ashes certificate at the crematorium when it is requested at cremation, and Sakai issues it only on the day (as of 2026-02-24 and 2026-03-11).¹³¹¹

Keeping ashes at home is not regulated by the Act. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government states that the Act has no specific provision on storing cremated remains at home.²³

Interring ashes requires a cemetery or columbarium, and its manager may not accept remains without the permit.⁴²⁴ Moving remains that are already interred (改葬, kaisō) needs municipal permission.²³⁴

Scattering is not prohibited by the Act, according to Tokyo, which also says no permit or notification is needed, recommends checking with the municipality, and discourages scattering in one's own garden (as of 2024-07-26).²⁵ A scattering guideline for operators, published by MHLW from an FY2020 research report, requires bones to be ground until their shape cannot be recognized, limits land scattering to pre-specified areas, and calls for written, itemized contracts (as of FY2020).²⁶

This article does not cover buying a grave plot or permanent memorial arrangements in Japan.

Repatriating the body

Body repatriation suits families whose faith rules out cremation, who want a funeral with the body at home, or whose home country may hold an inquest.

Finding an international repatriation provider

Two common routes to a provider are an embassy list and the deceased's insurer. The Australian Embassy lists three funeral homes as examples: Funeral Support Services Co. Ltd., Santoku Funeral Parlor Co. Ltd., and Airhearse International Co. Ltd. (as of October 2026; confirm current listings with the Australian Embassy Tokyo).²

The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) publishes lists of English-speaking funeral directors in Japan and of UK-based international funeral directors.⁷ Its finder describes them as "non-exhaustive lists" that "are not recommendations."²⁷ For other providers, see English-Speaking Service Providers.

If the deceased had a policy with a repatriation benefit, the insurer may arrange everything. Allianz Care, for example, states that it will "organise all stages of the repatriation, sourcing a local funeral home and the transportation of remains" (as of October 2026).⁸ GOV.UK notes that insurers "might appoint both local and UK funeral directors."⁷

Embalming in Japan

Embalming (エンバーミング, enbāmingu, also called 遺体衛生保全, itai eisei hozen, "sanitary preservation of the body") is uncommon in Japan. Its standards body is IFSA (一般社団法人日本遺体衛生保全協会, Nihon Itai Eisei Hozen Kyōkai), founded in 1993 and registered as a general incorporated association in 2009.²⁸

In IFSA's 2020 survey, 12% of funeral attendees said they had attended a funeral with embalming (as of 2020-09-16).²⁹ IFSA lists 36 member companies providing embalming and 21 funeral-related companies operating 94 centers in 33 prefectures (as of October 2026).²⁸

IFSA's self-imposed standards require:¹⁰

• consent signed by the deceased or the family;
• treatment only by IFSA-certified, registered technicians;
• minimal incisions, sutured and repaired afterward;
• no preservation beyond 50 days from death, except for international transport.

IFSA states that properly performed embalming does not violate Article 190 of the Penal Code or other laws.¹⁰ In a domestic setting, it says embalmed remains stay safe for about 10 days to 2 weeks.³⁰

In 2020 it reported about 180 certified embalmers in Japan and a standard procedure of about 3 hours (as of 2020-09-16).²⁹

Many destinations require embalming for import. A 2020 IATA-derived list includes India, Ireland, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Turkey, notes that Australia requires embalming "except for exceptional circumstances," and warns the list is "subject to change at any time" (as of 2020-04-14).³ Some aircraft operators also accept only embalmed remains.³

The coffin and the flight

There is no single global coffin standard. IATA guidance states that "there is no universal international standard for requisite processing and documentation for repatriation of human remains by air."³

The 1973 Council of Europe Agreement on the Transfer of Corpses, which more than 20 European states have agreed to, requires an impervious coffin with absorbent material inside and, for air transport, a purifying device or adequate guarantees of resistance.³¹³ UK rules, as one example, require a certificate that the coffin complies with IATA regulations (as of 2025-11-03).⁷ Ask the funeral director at the destination which coffin standard its authorities apply.

The body travels as cargo, either on a cargo aircraft or in the hold of a passenger aircraft, not as passenger baggage.³ Acceptance depends on the aircraft type and on the entry and clearance rules of the origin, transit, and destination countries, and shipments follow IATA's TACT Rules and Airport Handling Manual under the cargo code HUM.³

Documents for shipping a body

Japan's side is light. The Australian Embassy states: "There are no Japanese laws, national or local, governing the exportation of human remains. A casket containing a body or human ashes is treated as ordinary freight."²

The destination's side is where the paperwork sits. These examples show the range:

Destination (example)	Documents required	As of	Source
United Kingdom	Certified copy of the Notification of Death; embalming certificate; IATA coffin compliance certificate; certificate that the coffin contains only the remains	2025-11-03	GOV.UK7
United States	For remains neither cremated nor embalmed, a death certificate stating cause of death, with English translation; if none, a Consular Mortuary Certificate, Affidavit of Foreign Funeral Director, and Transit Permit; leak-proof container for non-cremated remains; no CDC permit for embalmed or cremated remains	2025-12-04	CDC16
Cameroon	Embassy-issued death certificate and Mortuary Laissez-passer, free of charge, on request with passport, birth and death certificates, and an English or French translation	October 2026 (page undated)	Cameroon Embassy15

Some destinations also require the embalming certificate to be sealed inside the coffin.³ Several require a certificate that the death was not caused by an infectious disease; a 2020 list gives Indonesia, Antigua and Barbuda, and Gabon as examples (as of 2020-04-14).³ Obtaining Japanese death documents is covered in When a Foreign Resident Dies in Japan: The First 14 Days.

How long it takes

No reliable source gives a total time from death to arrival. The stages below are the ones that set the pace, and several run in parallel.

The embalming procedure itself takes about 3 hours, according to IFSA's 2020 figures (as of 2020-09-16).²⁹ The Australian Embassy expects final arrangements to be made within one week of death in normal cases (as of October 2026).²

Burial in Japan

Burial is lawful, but it is rare and possible only at a small number of sites.

What the law allows

National law permits burial. The Act defines burial (埋葬, maisō) as placing a body in the ground, requires a municipal permit, and allows it only in a licensed cemetery; cemeteries need permission from the prefectural governor, or the mayor or ward head in cities and special wards.⁴¹²⁴ Nippon.com sums it up: "Japanese law does not prohibit burial."⁶

Restrictions come from local ordinances and cemetery permits. Osaka Prefecture's ordinance bars cemetery operators from allowing burial in areas set by rule, and the rule covers the whole prefecture except cemeteries the governor recognizes as having a burial custom; Osaka reported no burials in the prefecture in FY2025 (as of 2026-06-19; confirm current rules with the prefecture or city where the cemetery is located).³²

Other municipalities attach conditions rather than bans. Kahoku Shimpo reports that Sendai permits burial only where the mayor finds no risk of water contamination, Kobe sets a minimum depth of 1.5 m to the top of the coffin, and Honjō (Saitama) requires distances of 20 m or more from waterways and 100 m or more from schools and homes (as of 2025-02-19).⁵

Cemeteries that accept burial

No official count has been published. Press estimates put the number of cemeteries that can accept Muslim burials at fewer than a dozen nationwide, with one report giving about ten (as of 2026-07-02).³³³⁴³⁵

The few sites are mainly in the Kantō region, and Nippon.com reports that Kyūshū and Chūgoku have none (as of 2025-02-05).⁶ In 2021 the Hiji town council in Ōita stated there was no Islamic cemetery west of Kobe (as of 2021-03-01).³⁶

Press reports name Honjō Kodama Seichi Reien (本庄児玉聖地霊園) in Honjō, Saitama, as offering burial plots for Muslims and people of other faiths (as of 2025-02-05).⁶³⁵ Confirm current availability with the cemetery directly.

Distance adds cost. A Beppu Muslim Association representative quoted by Nippon.com described "the high cost of transporting the body of a loved one for burial at a far-off site" for families in western Japan (as of 2025-02-05).⁶ Community contacts are listed in Finding Places of Worship and Practicing Faith in Japan.

Why new burial grounds are contested

Plans for new burial grounds have met local opposition. Nippon.com reports that residents near one proposed site cited hygiene, unfamiliarity with Islam, and exclusion from the decision.⁶ In Hiji (Ōita), the Beppu Muslim Association secured land in 2018 for a cemetery due to open in 2020; Abe Tetsuya, who campaigned against the project, was elected mayor in August 2024 and said he would not approve the sale of municipal land (as of 2025-02-05).⁶

In Miyagi, Governor Murai said at a press conference on 24 September 2025 that the prefecture's burial-cemetery plan had been withdrawn and would not be reconsidered (as of 2025-09-24).³⁷ The Lowy Institute reported that a lawmaker from the Sanseito party argued against expanding Muslim burial grounds in a Diet committee in November 2025 (as of 2026-07-02).³³

The practical point is that families cannot count on new capacity appearing soon.

Religious requirements and the choice of pathway

Faith often decides the pathway before cost or convenience does. The constraints below are framed by what each tradition rules in or out; the family's own religious community has the final word on practice.

Traditions that require burial

In Islam, cremation is prohibited, and Nippon.com notes that "the vast majority of Muslims consider burial a prerequisite for rebirth."⁶ That leaves two options: burial at one of the few accepting cemeteries in Japan, or body repatriation.

Orthodox Jewish practice, as described by Chabad, forbids both cremation and embalming, and entrusts preparation and burial to the local Chevra Kadishah, which performs the Taharah (ritual cleansing).³⁸ This creates a direct conflict with destinations that require embalming for import.³⁸³

Tokyo Camii, a mosque in Tokyo, arranges janazah (Islamic funeral services) on request by contact form or phone (as of October 2026; confirm current services with Tokyo Camii).³⁹ For other communities, see Finding Places of Worship and Practicing Faith in Japan. Religious objections to autopsy are covered in When a Foreign Resident Dies in Japan: The First 14 Days.

Traditions compatible with cremation

The Catholic Church has accepted since 1963 that cremation is not "opposed per se to the Christian religion," though it "continues to prefer the practice of burying the bodies of the deceased."⁴⁰ Its 2016 instruction adds conditions that bear on choices made in Japan: ashes "must be laid to rest in a sacred place," may not be kept at home except in rare cases with the bishop's permission, "may not be divided among various family members," and may not be scattered.⁴⁰

The Sikh code of conduct, as reproduced by Asia Samachar, states that "the body should be cremated," with immersion in flowing water or other disposal where that is not possible.⁴¹ It directs that ashes be immersed in flowing water or buried at the cremation site, and calls picking out bones for immersion at the Ganga or similar places "contrary to the approved code."⁴¹

For Hindu families, a 2006 Hindu Press International report described ashes as traditionally scattered in rivers, and noted that some families take bodies to India for cremation with full rites.⁴² Whether a Japanese cremation suits the family's rites is a question for the family and its priest.

Japanese cremation leaves bone fragments rather than fine ash.² It is worth explaining this to relatives abroad before the urn arrives.

Asking for accommodations in Japan

Families can ask the funeral home about religious needs before the cremation or burial. Kōchi City Crematorium, for example, invites families with religious wishes about bone collection to consult the funeral operator in advance.⁹

Same-day burial is not possible. The 24-hour minimum in Article 3 applies to burial as well as cremation unless another law provides otherwise.⁴

Costs and who pays

The dated cost figures are in the indicative-costs table under Comparing the options. This section covers what pushes costs up and who may pay.

What drives the cost

The Australian Embassy lists the main drivers as where the remains travel from, the quality of the casket, the size and condition of the remains, and religious ceremonies.² Cold storage and transport have to be funded promptly.²

Insurers define the cost lines in similar terms. Allianz Care covers embalming, "a container legally appropriate for transportation," shipping, and "the necessary government authorisations," and covers cremation only where it is legally required (as of October 2026; confirm current terms with the insurer).⁸

Consular fees are a separate line. The Philippine Embassy charges for the Report of Death, the Consular Mortuary Certificate, translation, and affidavits without stating amounts, while Cameroon issues its documents free (as of October 2026).¹⁴¹⁵

For burial, transport to a distant cemetery can add substantially to the cost.⁶ Crematorium fees are covered in When a Foreign Resident Dies in Japan: The First 14 Days.

Insurance, employer, and other cover

Check insurance before arranging anything. GOV.UK says insurance providers "may help to cover the cost of repatriation" and urges families to contact the insurer as soon as possible (as of 2025-11-03).⁷ The Australian Embassy gives the same first step: "please contact the person's insurance company."²

International health plans may include a repatriation-of-mortal-remains benefit. In the Allianz Care example, the benefit transports remains "to the country of burial" and appears in the Table of Benefits "where covered" (as of October 2026).⁸

Using a provider the insurer did not appoint

Allianz Care says providers it did not organize can charge "as much as 100% more" and that it may decline costs for arrangements it did not make (as of October 2026).⁸ Call the insurer's assistance line before signing with any funeral home.

A Japan-issued travel insurance policy is unlikely to help with a death in Japan. In one example, a credit-card policy underwritten by Tokio Marine Nichido covers transport and body-handling costs up to set limits, but only from the day after leaving Japan, for up to 90 days per trip (as of 2025-12).⁴³

Some sending countries run support schemes. The Philippines' Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Repatriation Assistance Program covers bringing back "human remains" for OFW members and other overseas Filipinos, on a request from the next of kin (as of 2025).⁴⁴

The UK government is one example of an embassy that does not pay: the FCDO states that it "cannot help with any costs incurred by a bereavement" (as of 2025-11-03).⁷ Public funeral benefits from Japanese health insurance are covered in After-Death Procedures in Japan: The Administrative Checklist, and broader cover in Insurance in Japan for Foreign Residents: What's Required and What's Optional.

Paying from the deceased's funds

Once deposits fall into estate division, a single heir may be unable to withdraw them until the division is complete. Since 1 July 2019, an heir can withdraw a limited amount from each bank without a court decision, for needs including funeral costs, capped at ¥1,500,000 per bank (as of 2019-07-01).⁴⁵ The rules assume Japanese family-register documents, so foreign families should ask the bank what it accepts.⁴⁵

Paying repatriation costs from the estate can interact with decisions about accepting or renouncing an inheritance; see Inheritance for Foreign Residents in Japan: Accounts, Property, and Heirs.

What the embassy or consulate can do

Consulates hold several pieces a repatriating family needs. Their repatriation-specific roles fall into three areas.

• Lists of funeral directors. The FCDO publishes lists of English-speaking funeral directors in Japan and UK-based international funeral directors, and the Australian Embassy lists three funeral homes (as of October 2026; confirm current lists with the embassy).⁷²⁷²
• Certificates for importing remains. The Philippines issues a Consular Mortuary Certificate for ashes, Cameroon issues a free Mortuary Laissez-passer, and US rules provide for a Consular Mortuary Certificate when no death certificate is available (as of October 2026).¹⁴¹⁵¹⁶
• Payment. The FCDO "cannot help with any costs incurred by a bereavement" (as of 2025-11-03).⁷

General consular contact and home-country death registration are covered in When a Foreign Resident Dies in Japan: The First 14 Days.

Good to know

Get the family's agreement in writing before anything irreversible

A cremation can rule out an inquest at home: GOV.UK advises against cremation abroad if the family wants a UK coroner to hold one.⁷ Embalming also needs consent signed by the deceased or the family under IFSA's standards.¹⁰

A short written instruction from the next of kin protects everyone involved. When relatives live in several countries, agree on one point of contact; disputes over who decides are covered in When a Foreign Resident Dies in Japan: The First 14 Days.

Compare itemized quotes

Allianz Care says providers it did not organize can charge "as much as 100% more" and that it may decline those costs (as of October 2026; confirm current terms with the insurer).⁸ Consular fees are billed separately too: the Philippine Embassy charges for the Report of Death, the Consular Mortuary Certificate, and translation (as of October 2026).¹⁴

Ask every provider for a written, itemized quote that states what happens at the destination and what is excluded. Disputes with a provider can be raised through The Consumer Affairs Hotline (188).

Japanese urns and travel

Under full bone collection, the urn is large, about 6–7 寸 (sun) at Kōchi City Crematorium.⁹ Finnair warns that a container blocking the X-ray "may not be allowed through the security check" (as of October 2026).¹² Ask for a smaller urn or a travel container that can be screened without being opened.

Destinations have container rules of their own. Australia asks for a container free of soil and not made of wood, and the ashes must be declared to Agriculture Biosecurity on arrival (as of October 2026).²

Keep the original endorsed cremation permit with the urn. Sakai notes that some temples and cemeteries do not accept a cremation certificate in its place (as of 2026-03-11).¹¹

Infectious disease limits the options

Under Article 30 of the Infectious Diseases Act, a body contaminated or suspected of contamination with a Class I, II, or III infectious disease or a novel influenza-type disease must be cremated, unless it is sufficiently disinfected and buried with the prefectural governor's permission.⁴⁶ Body repatriation is therefore not an option in those cases; the governor may also restrict moving such a body, and it may be cremated or buried within 24 hours.⁴⁶⁴

Destinations add their own limits. A 2020 list shows Pakistan and Tajikistan refusing entry where death was caused by an infectious disease, and the Philippines admitting such remains only if cremated or embalmed in a hermetically sealed coffin (as of 2020-04-14).³ Disclose any known condition to the funeral director and insurer early; see When a Foreign Resident Dies in Japan: The First 14 Days.

Holidays slow everything down

Crematoria close on some days, including New Year. Sagamihara Municipal Crematorium, for example, closes 1–3 January and on about two maintenance days a year, and its furnaces are unavailable on the fourth 友引 (tomobiki, "a day in the traditional six-day calendar") each month (as of 2026-07-08).⁴⁷

Closure days vary by facility. Check opening days with each office involved and build any closures into cold-storage cost estimates.

Planning ahead for yourself

A Japan-issued overseas travel policy covers trips abroad, not a death in Japan; in the card example above, cover starts the day after leaving Japan and lasts up to 90 days per trip (as of 2025-12).⁴³ Residents who want repatriation cover can look for a repatriation-of-mortal-remains line "where covered" in an international health or expatriate plan (as of October 2026).⁸

Recording strong wishes about burial, repatriation, or a faith rite, and identifying a burial-accepting cemetery or community contact in advance, saves the family difficult decisions later. The will itself is covered in Wills for Foreign Residents in Japan: Types, Law, and Validity.

See also

• Koseki: Japan's Family Register Explained
• When Certified Translation Is Required in Japan
• Translation Agencies and Sworn Translators in Japan
• MOFA Apostille Procedure Step by Step
• Japan Inheritance and Gift Tax for Long-Term Foreign Residents

References

Footnotes

1. 厚生労働省. 「墓地、埋葬等に関する法律に係る行政の仕組み」 (statistics: 衛生行政報告例, 令和4年度). https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/11130500/001321227.pdf ↩ ↩² ↩³

2. Australian Embassy Tokyo. "When someone dies in Japan" (page undated; accessed 2026-10-09). https://japan.embassy.gov.au/tkyo/when_someone_dies.html ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸ ↩¹⁹ ↩²⁰ ↩²¹ ↩²² ↩²³ ↩²⁴

3. WHO, CDC, IATA and ICAO. "Guidance Information on the Transport of COVID-19 Human Remains by Air" (2020-04-14). https://www.iata.org/contentassets/8aa8928c553042bf99a5014d8ac25c8f/guidance-document-transport-of-covid-19-human-remains.pdf ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸ ↩¹⁹ ↩²⁰

4. 墓地、埋葬等に関する法律（昭和23年法律第48号）, Arts. 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10, 14, 16 (hourei.net mirror of e-Gov text). https://hourei.net/law/323AC0000000048 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵

5. 河北新報. 「『日本で土葬はできない』ってウソ？ホント？ ムスリム対応で物議…ネット情報の真偽を調べる＜かほＱチェック＞」 (2025-02-19). https://kahoku.news/articles/20250218khn000032.html ↩ ↩²

6. Nippon.com. "Where to Bury the Dead? A Pressing Dilemma for a Diversifying Japan" (2025-02-05). https://www.nippon.com/en/in-depth/d01085/ ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹

7. GOV.UK (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office). "What to do after a British person dies in Japan" (updated 2025-11-03). https://www.gov.uk/guidance/what-to-do-after-a-british-person-dies-in-japan ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸ ↩¹⁹ ↩²⁰

8. Allianz Care. "A Guide to Medical Evacuation and Repatriation" (DOC-EVAC-REPAT-EN-18; undated). https://www.allianzcare.com/content/dam/onemarketing/azcare/allianzcare/en/docs/DOC-EVAC-REPAT-EN-18.pdf ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷

9. 高知市斎場. 「収骨の方法について」 (PDF, file created 2019-09-03). https://www.city.kochi.kochi.jp/uploaded/life/124104_pdf1.pdf ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶

10. 一般社団法人日本遺体衛生保全協会 (IFSA). 「エンバーミングの法的解釈」. http://www.embalming.jp/embalming/interpretation/ ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

11. 堺市. 「納骨・改葬」 (updated 2026-03-11). https://www.city.sakai.lg.jp/kurashi/saijo/saijo/noukotu-kaisou.html ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷

12. Finnair. "Can I travel with cremated remains?" (undated; accessed 2026-10-09). https://finnair.com/en/frequently-asked-questions/baggage/can-i-travel-with-cremated-remains--1890032 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

13. 広島市. 「死亡 よくある質問と回答」 (updated 2026-02-24). https://www.city.hiroshima.lg.jp/faq/life/1001689/1002956.html ↩ ↩² ↩³

14. Embassy of the Philippines, Tokyo. "Repatriation of Ashes to the Philippines" (undated; accessed 2026-10-09). https://tokyo.philembassy.net/consular-section/services/miscellaneous/repatriation-of-ashes-to-the-philippines ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷

15. Embassy of the Republic of Cameroon in Japan. Death certificate and transport of mortal remains page (undated; accessed 2026-10-09). https://cameroonemb-jp.org/?p=151 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

16. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Importation of Human Remains" (last reviewed 2025-12-04). https://www.cdc.gov/importation/human-remains/index.html ↩ ↩² ↩³

17. 日本郵便. ゆうグローバルエクスプレス（UGX）「お引き受けできないもの」 (undated; accessed 2026-10-09). https://www.post.japanpost.jp/service/send/oversea/list/ugx/restriction.html ↩

18. 日本郵便. 国際郵便 国・地域別情報「禁制品・条件付許容物品」アメリカ合衆国 (cid=7), 遺灰 entry (accessed 2026-10-09). https://www.post.japanpost.jp/cgi-kokusai/nonmailable_articles_result.php?cid=7&nid=6475&p=1 ↩

19. 日本郵便. 国際郵便 国・地域別情報「禁制品・条件付許容物品」英国 (cid=74) (accessed 2026-10-09). https://www.post.japanpost.jp/cgi-kokusai/nonmailable_articles.php?cid=74 ↩

20. 日本郵便. 国際郵便 国・地域別情報「禁制品・条件付許容物品」ネパール (cid=143) (accessed 2026-10-09). https://www.post.japanpost.jp/cgi-kokusai/nonmailable_articles.php?cid=143 ↩

21. DHL Express Japan. "DHL Express Prohibited and Restricted Items" (undated; accessed 2026-10-09). https://mydhl.express.dhl/jp/en/help-and-support/shipping-advice/what-can-i-ship/prohibited-items.html ↩

22. 日本郵便. 「国際郵便で送れないもの（万国郵便条約による禁制品）」 (accessed 2026-10-09). https://www.post.japanpost.jp/service/send/oversea/attention/restriction/upc.html ↩

23. 東京都保健医療局. 「墓地等に関するよくある質問」 (updated 2024-07-26). https://www.hokeniryo.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/kankyo/eisei/bochitou/bochitou_faq.html ↩ ↩²

24. 厚生労働省. 「墓地、埋葬等に関する法律の概要」. https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/0000130181.html ↩ ↩²

25. 東京都保健医療局. 「散骨に関する留意事項」 (updated 2024-07-26). https://www.hokeniryo.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/kankyo/eisei/bochitou/ryuuijikou ↩

26. 厚生労働省. 「散骨に関するガイドライン（散骨事業者向け）」 (from the 令和2年度厚生労働科学特別研究事業「墓地埋葬をめぐる現状と課題の調査研究」研究報告書). https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/11130500/001321304.pdf ↩

27. Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. "Find a funeral director abroad" (undated; accessed 2026-10-09). https://find-a-professional-service-abroad.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/find/funeral-directors ↩ ↩²

28. 一般社団法人日本遺体衛生保全協会 (IFSA). 「IFSA組織案内」. http://www.embalming.jp/organization/ ↩ ↩²

29. 一般社団法人日本遺体衛生保全協会 (IFSA). Press release 「葬儀において記憶に残るもの…」 (2020-09-16; via Kyodo News PR Wire). https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M105980/202009144345/_prw_OR1fl_W54f1139.pdf ↩ ↩² ↩³

30. 一般社団法人日本遺体衛生保全協会 (IFSA). 「エンバーミングとは」. http://www.embalming.jp/embalming/ ↩

31. Council of Europe. Agreement on the Transfer of Corpses (ETS No. 080, 1973), Arts. 6 and 12 (University of Minnesota Human Rights Library mirror). https://hrlibrary.umn.edu/euro/ets80.html ↩

32. 大阪府. 府政への提言（府民の声）回答「土葬の禁止について」 (受付 2026-06-04; 公表 2026-06-19). https://www.pref.osaka.lg.jp/cgi-bin/citizen_voice/detail.php?id=28894 ↩

33. Lowy Institute, The Interpreter. Peter Chai, "Japan's burial problem" (2026-07-02). https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/japan-s-burial-problem ↩ ↩²

34. Unseen Japan. Kristina Rin Fujikake, article on Muslim burial and a government survey (2026-05-07). https://unseen-japan.com/muslim-burial-government-survey/ ↩

35. 週刊現代 (講談社, 現代ビジネス). Muslim burial-ground report (2024-12-12). https://gendai.media/articles/-/142823 ↩ ↩²

36. 大分県日出町議会. 「土葬墓地建設に関する執成し助言等に係る意見書」 (2021-03-01). https://www.town.hiji.lg.jp/material/files/group/17/dosoubotiikensyo.pdf ↩

37. 宮城県. 知事記者会見 (2025-09-24). https://www.pref.miyagi.jp/site/chiji-kaiken/kk-250924.html ↩

38. Chabad.org. "I. Preparing the Body and Making the Funeral Arrangements". https://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=282548 ↩ ↩²

39. Tokyo Camii & Diyanet Turkish Culture Center. "Religious Services". https://tokyocamii.org/support ↩

40. Holy See Press Office. Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Instruction "Ad resurgendum cum Christo" regarding the burial of the deceased and the conservation of the ashes in the case of cremation (2016-10-25). https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2016/10/25/161025c.html ↩ ↩²

41. Asia Samachar. "Antam Sanskar (Last Rites) in Sikhi: Sikh Reht Maryada guidance" (2019-01-24). https://asiasamachar.com/2019/01/24/antam-sanskar-last-rites-in-sikhi-sikh-reht-maryada-guidance/ ↩ ↩²

42. Hinduism Today (Hindu Press International). "Demand For Funeral Pyres For Hindus, Sikhs in Britain" (2006-01-17). https://www.hinduismtoday.com/hpi/?p=5830 ↩

43. 三菱UFJニコス. 「カード付帯保険のご案内 ゴールドコーポレート」 (information as of 2025-12; insurer 東京海上日動火災保険). https://www.cr.mufg.jp/service/insurance/list/pdf/c_Gold.pdf ↩ ↩²

44. Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (Philippines). "Citizen's Charter 2025 (1st Edition)", section 1 "Repatriation Assistance Program", p. 5. https://owwa.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/OWWA-Citizens-Charter_2025_1st-Edition_032825_DGBA.pdf ↩

45. 一般社団法人全国銀行協会. 「ご存知ですか？遺産分割前の相続預金の払戻し制度」 (flyer, 2019-07-01 施行; copy hosted by 三井住友銀行). https://www.smbc.co.jp/kojin/souzoku/resources/pdf/souzoku_haraimodoshi_zenginkyo.pdf ↩ ↩²

46. 感染症の予防及び感染症の患者に対する医療に関する法律（平成10年法律第114号）, Art. 30 (hourei.net mirror of e-Gov text). https://hourei.net/law/410AC0000000114 ↩ ↩²

47. 相模原市. 「施設案内 相模原市営斎場」 (updated 2026-07-08). https://www.city.sagamihara.kanagawa.jp/kurashi/shisetsu/shikanren/etc/1002725.html ↩