Shihoshoshi Law Office in Kobe, Japan
Kobe Legal Partners
Greetings! We are Kobe Legal Partners, a Japanese Shihoshoshi and Gyoseishoshi law firm assisting in legal matters of foreign nationals who live in Japan or who have relationships to Japan.
Our services are available in English, Chinese and Japanese.
Services include
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Estate planning
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Inheritance procedures
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Will / Trust
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How to prepare for dementia
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Adult guardianship
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Purchasing / Real Estate sales procedures
We help with various problems about legal issues such as the following
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We were internationally married, and my spouse has passed away. I don’t know the inheritance procedures in Japan.
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I am a foreign national living in Japan. What kind of will do I need to prepare as I have assets in Japan?
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I don’t know who to ask about the inheritance procedures for my overseas assets.
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Is my family able to manage my assets if I develop dementia?
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I would like to purchase / sell a property in Japan. But I can’t read Japanese and I need complete professional support.
These are some of the services we offer
If you are a foreign national living in Japan
We understand the difficulties you have about legal matters in Japan. There aren’t many legal professionals who can explain everything in English. There are international lawyers here, but they usually handle larger corporate cases and do not offer services for personal legal matters. In Japan, it is common for Shihoshoshi lawyers to handle individual or small cases. However, there aren’t many Shihoshoshi lawyers who can speak English fluently.
We are Shihoshoshi lawyers who help you
Kobe Legal Partners, with 26 years of experience as Shihoshoshi lawyers, have handled various cases for foreign nationals who live in Japan, for their safety and satisfaction. We are proven legal professionals who support and reassure foreign nationals in Japan on legal aspects. We have dealt with legal matters of foreign nationals from 40 different countries.
Shihoshoshi Lawyer (Solicitor) /
Gyoseishoshi Lawyer
Registration Number : 1177
(Hyogo Shihoshoshi Lawer’s Association)
What is the difference between Shiho-shoshi and Gyosei-shoshi lawyers, and when should you use them?
Shiho-shoshi lawyers and Gyosei-shoshi lawyers are both certified specialists in drawing up official documentation.The difference is in the kind of documents they are allowed to handle. Shiho-shoshi lawyers specialize in drawing up legal documentation for buying and selling real estate and incorporating a company, as well as documents for submission to courts of law.
On the other hand, Gyosei-shoshi lawyers mainly handle documents related to obtaining permits,including those required to set up certain kinds of businesses, as well as visas needed to live and work in Japan. They are also allowed to submit notice to government offices and other authorities on behalf of their clients.
Cases - Frequently Asked Questions
Please watch our video explanations by our Shihoshoshi lawyer, Sachiko Inoue of Kobe Legal Partners.The videos are in English, with subtitles in English and Japanese.
Case 1
Inheritance issues in an international marriage
How the inheritance procedures differ according to who has passed away. This video focuses on the case of when a Japanese spouse passes away. Again, the procedures are different when the foreign national passes away.
Video series on this theme
Case 2
Should I prepare a will if I have assets in Japan?
Japanese inheritance procedures can be very different from your home country. There are koseki (family register) and jyuminhyo (resident card) systems in Japan. Therefore, heir/beneficiary eligibility is officially and easily proven. However, many countries do not have the same system as Japan, so proving inheritance rights can be troublesome.To advance inheritance claims smoothly in Japan, it is necessary to write a will and notarize it officially.
Video series on this theme
Case 3
What happens if a spouse of an internationally married couple falls into dementia in Japan?
If you are living in Japan, there are various governmental agencies which you can apply to.In these videos, we explain what kind of problems you might face when a spouse has dementia, and preparations you can make for a smooth transition.
Video series on this theme
Case 4
Inheritance claims are successfully processed in Switzerland and Japan, by retaining legal professionals from each country.
One client left abundant assets in Switzerland and Japan and had prepared an official will in both countries. A Swiss lawyer was the executor in Switzerland, so we exchanged information and documents to manage the procedures. The widow was able to inherit the assets in both countries in the end. There are specific laws in every country. Thus, it is best to work with legal experts in each country and cooperate with them to get through the procedures easily.
Request from a German lawyer to sell a property and pay taxes in Japan for a German national who used to live in Japan.
A German national who owned a house in Japan left Japan without changing the property owner deed. Later, the person died in Germany. The city officials, where the property was located, were looking for the owner and concerned about what to do with the abandoned house. Finally, the German lawyer who was the executor of the inheritance contacted us.The German lawyer began the inheritance process in Germany, and mailed us the necessary documents for inheritance registration in Japan.
We have started to prepare for selling the property with a real estate agent. The property was a difficult one to sell, but we were able to find a buyer through our connections in Japan, then sold the property. We paid the taxes on behalf of the German national. The heirs/beneficiaries in Germany did not even have to visit Japan to clear and complete the inheritance procedures. The city officials and neighbors were also happy that the abandoned house was finally sold, so that the new owner could look after the property.
Case 5
Did you find anything that was similar to your problems?
Even if you couldn’t find any relevant cases, you need not worry.
Kobe Legal Partners can help foreign nationals with establishing a company, applying for visas, preparing for inheritance (We cooperate with tax accountants), any legal documents to submit to overseas administrations. For litigations or arbitrations we are eligible to handle under 1.4 million yen.
Thus, please feel free to consult with us about anything that involves overseas businesses.If we cannot handle your case, we will refer you to other professionals who can do so in Japan.
Testimonials
I consulted about international marriage
I am very happy and relieved to say that I got happily married to my Japanese girl friend in Japan. Thanks to Sachiko (Kobe Legal Partners). Kobe Legal Partners helped me right from the beginning. They told me the right procedure to get married in Japan. As I am not from Japan, being a foreigner, It’s difficult to get the work done. If you are not a native Japanese speaker,
Kobe Legal Partners have a great support for foreigner who can’t speak Japanese. Sachiko is fluent in English and explains about all procedures slowly and carefully.
She handled all my procedures right from translating my documents in Japanese and telling me what to do next to talking and confirming a lot of things regarding marriage with the ward office.
Thanks,
D.S.
Shizuoka, From India
I registered a company and applied for a business management visa
I used KOBE Legal Partner services to register a company in Kobe and apply for the necessary Business Management Visa. At the time, one of main requirements when searching for a Shiho-shoshi Lawyer to work with, was the ability to communicate in both English and in Japanese. It was important that I completely understood the entire company registration and visa application process.
This was where Saeki and his team at KOBELP excelled in. They were able to clearly convey in detail, all the steps and task necessary to successfully complete the process. Professional and methodical in their approach, they ensured all items relating with my application were throughly considered and addressed.
If you are in search of a legal partner in Kobe, I highly recommend you visit KOBELP and consider if their appsoach matches your requirements.
E.M.
Kobe, From Australia
Consult with us
We take pride in being a Shihoshohi law firm that supports foreign nationals in Japan. We are here to help and encourage your life in Japan.
Whatever you are in the world
For these who live at a distance, We are happy to consult with you with Zoom. We also welcome inquiries not only from the Kansai area (i.e.,Kobe, Osaka and Kyoto), but also from other parts of Japan and overseas.
