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List of Statutory Heir Information — A Convenient System to Consolidate a Bundle of Family Registers into 'One Sheet'

宮崎ひなた相続相談室

2026年8月18日 08:37

The 'Subtle but Serious' Stress of Inheritance Procedures

There is a complaint that everyone who has gone through inheritance procedures says in unison.

'I am forced to present the same bundle of family registers over and over again everywhere I go.'

Inheritance procedures require a complete set of family registers from the deceased's birth to death, as well as the family registers of all heirs—a thick bundle of documents. And this bundle must be submitted to each institution—banks, securities companies, legal affairs bureaus, tax offices—waiting for them to be returned before submitting them to the next.

Since there is often only one set of the family register bundle, the procedures effectively become a 'waiting line.' You cannot start the procedure at Bank B until Bank A finishes checking and returns them. This is one of the reasons why inheritance procedures take many months.

The system that solves this problem all at once is the Statutory Heir Information Certification System, commonly known as the 'List of Statutory Heir Information,' which we will introduce here.

What is the List of Statutory Heir Information? — An 'Official Digest' of the Family Register Bundle

The List of Statutory Heir Information is a system where the Legal Affairs Bureau (registrar) certifies a single sheet summarizing the inheritance relationship, stating 'who passed away and who the heirs are.' It began in 2017.

The image is similar to a family tree. It is a diagram centered on the deceased, with heirs such as spouses and children connected by lines, accompanied by a certification statement from the Legal Affairs Bureau.

The biggest point is that you can get as many copies as you need for free.

Why is it so convenient? — 'Waiting in line' becomes 'simultaneous progress'

The power of this system lies entirely in the ability to proceed with multiple procedures at the same time.

For example, if you need to perform procedures at three banks, one securities company, the Legal Affairs Bureau (inheritance registration), and the tax office (inheritance tax return), you can get six copies of the list and proceed with everything simultaneously. You are freed from 'waiting for the loan' of the family register bundle.

The main procedures for which it can be used are as follows:

Inheritance procedures for savings and securities at banks, securities companies, etc.
Inheritance registration of real estate
Inheritance tax return
Insurance claims, pension-related procedures, etc.

Flow of acquisition — Collect the family registers only once, and after that, it is just one sheet

The steps for acquisition are simple.

The Legal Affairs Bureau where you can file the application is the one with jurisdiction over the deceased's registered domicile, their last place of residence, the applicant's place of residence, or the location of the real estate.

Here, I would like to add two important points to avoid any misunderstanding.

First, it is the applicant who 'creates' the list. The Legal Affairs Bureau does not create the diagram for you. Creating the diagram is the job of the applicant (or a professional such as a judicial scrivener hired for the task), and the Legal Affairs Bureau's role is to verify it against the family registers, certify it, and issue it. Creating it accurately according to the forms and examples on the Legal Affairs Bureau's website is the shortcut to a smooth issuance (if there are errors in the description, the exchange of corrections will delay the process by several days).

Second is the time until issuance. It generally takes about one week to ten days from the application, and it is not issued on the same day (because it requires confirmation and review by a registrar. Depending on congestion or postal exchanges, it may take two weeks or more). If you include the time for collecting the prerequisite family registers, it is realistic to expect a total of about three to four weeks. If you plan to use it for bank procedures, etc., I recommend starting the collection of family registers and the application as early as possible after the inheritance occurs.

In short, this system is a mechanism where 'you only collect family registers once. After that, a single sheet of paper runs around in place of the bundle.' If you combine it with the wide-area issuance system for family registers introduced last time (collecting family registers all at once at the nearest municipal office), the burden surrounding family registers—'collecting them nearby and summarizing them into one sheet'—has become incomparably lighter than it was a few years ago.

Points to Keep in Mind

Although it is a convenient system, there are limits and points to note.

Collecting family registers themselves cannot be omitted: To create the list, you need a full set of family registers for the first time.
It only states 'who the statutory heirs are': It does not state who inherits which assets (the content of the estate division). A division of estate agreement or a will is required separately.
Renunciation of inheritance and disinheritance are not reflected: The list shows heirs according to the family register. Since people who have renounced are also listed, if there is a renunciation, a certificate of renunciation must be attached separately.
Successive inheritances cannot be summarized on one sheet: If inheritances overlap, a separate list is required for each inheritance.
In very rare cases, some institutions do not support the list: It is certain to confirm in advance with the submission destination whether 'a list of statutory heir information is acceptable'.

The more 'procedures' an inheritance has, the more its true value is demonstrated

Let's summarize the list of statutory heir information.

A 'single sheet showing the inheritance relationship' certified by the Legal Affairs Bureau that replaces a bundle of family registers.
You can receive the necessary number of copies for free and proceed with multiple procedures simultaneously.
Collecting family registers is only done once at the beginning. If combined with wide-area issuance, the burden is minimized.
The content of estate division and renunciation of inheritance are separate documents. Keep in mind that it is not a panacea.

The more procedures you have—such as many accounts, real estate, or securities—the greater the value of this single sheet becomes. Conversely, if there are only one or two procedures, it may be faster to use the bundle of family registers as is. Let's organize the overall procedure plan together, including whether or not you should use it for your family's inheritance.

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