Japanese letter of authority (委任状)

How it works

1. Choose the errand. The wording councils and registries expect is filled in for you, and can be rewritten.
2. Fill in the person acting for you — their address and name as they appear on their identification.
3. Fill in your own address, name and telephone number at the foot.
4. Print it, seal it beside your name, and send it with them along with their identification.

Frequently asked questions

Will the office accept this form?

Many will: it carries what a 委任状 has to carry — who is acting, for whom, what for, the date, and your name and seal. But plenty of councils, registries and banks have their own form and insist on it, and some want the reason for the request as well. Check their website or ring them before you send somebody in.

Does it need a seal?

Usually yes, and a box is drawn where it goes. For anything involving a registered seal — a car transfer, property — the seal must be the registered one, and a seal registration certificate is normally wanted with it.

Can a family member collect a 住民票 without one?

Somebody in the same household can often collect it without a letter of authority; somebody outside it generally cannot. The rules differ by council, so check.

Is this legal advice?

No. It is a form. What may be delegated, and how, is a matter for the office concerned — and for a lawyer where something substantial turns on it.