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U.S. Death Certificate Compared to Japanese Jyoseki Tohon as Proof of Death |
Introduction |
A sufficient proof of death, such as a death certificate, is an important document for estate planning/administration purposes, as a certification of death must be provided to the court in the event of a probate, or is needed to prepare documents for the successor trustee to take over management of the trust after the death of the deceased, and etc., in order to sufficiently show that the decedent, who is the subject of the estate planning/administration, has died. |
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U.S. Death Certificate |
A U.S. Death Certificate is usually a one-page document on a green-sheet paper that provides information of the deceased, such as his/her name, date and time of death, reason of death, social security number, and etc. Generally, a medical examiner of the city or county in which the deceased passed away shall sign the death certificate and submit the document to the vital records office of that city or county.
The family of the deceased can order original copies of a death certificate through the mortuary that has handled funeral arrangements for the deceased, or in other cases, order it directly from the vital records office. In practice, families of the deceased tend to order the death certificate from the mortuary as a mortuary is used to handling the ordering of a death certificate from the vital records office. The family can then provide any ordered death certificates to their lawyer who is taking care of the estate administration, etc. for the deceased.
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Japanese Jyoseki Tohon |
A death certificate, similar or equivalent to the one issued in the U.S., does not exist in Japan. When a person passes away in Japan, that person is removed from his/her family register. The deceased's removal is indicated as "Jyoseki" in the Jyoseki Tohon, which is an updated family register for the family that indicates the deceased’s passing. When initiating a probate in the U.S., the Jyoseki Tohon can be translated into English and submitted to the probate court in the U.S. In certain cases, the translation will require an apostille. |
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Conclusion |
It is good to know how to order U.S. death certificates, and to know which document(s) can be submitted as an equivalent of a U.S. death certificate in the event a deceased dies outside of the U.S., in order to prepare for any estate administration that can take place in the U.S. |
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Client Comments |
"Lawyers in the U.S. can be difficult to talk to at times, but I think people find it easy to talk to Ms. Hongo. I also like the fact that Ms. Hongo follows up with her clients on a timely basis." |
Sachiko Trillo, Honolulu |
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"Hongo Tsuji Tax & Consulting, our accounting firm, introduced me to Ms. Hongo. I consulted her with regards to estate planning, and I appreciated the fact that she took care of our documents in a timely manner." |
K.A., Tokyo |
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"I appreciated Ms. Hongo's professional expertise and the kind way in which she took care of our matter. I am truly happy that she helped us." |
Mitsuko Seto, Osaka |
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"Ms. Hongo not only prepared my trust, but also took care of legal matters involving my company. Her fee is reasonable and she follows up with you in a timely manner." |
S. Suzuki, Company Owner |
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"Ms. Hongo took care of our matter in a kind manner. We liked the fact that her office was located in Waikiki, near our home." |
Sugiyama, Waikiki |
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"I became a successor to 2 condominiums that my wife owned in Hawaii, after my wife passed away. Ms. Hongo took care of our probate matter in a short timeframe of 1 year. We feel very grateful to her." |
Shuichi Sakamoto, Nasu |
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"Our clients were very satisfied with Ms. Hongo's service because she was able to explain matters such as probate in an easy-to-understand manner. Ms. Hongo is someone we can rely on for any matter." |
Noboru Ohhashi, List Sotheby's, Tokyo |
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"Given that the U.S. real estate recording process and its pertaining laws differ from those of Japan, and it is difficult to learn about them in English, I appreciated Ms. Hongo being able to explain them to me in an understandable manner. I would like to seek her help in the future for other matters." |
K. Iwasaki, Honolulu |
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"Ms. Hongo helped me with the estate planning for my real estate in Hawaii. I was glad she was able to help me during her visit in Japan." |
S.T., Kawasaki |
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"It was our long-term goal to prepare a trust for our family. We are now able to take the next step in our lives, as Ms. Hongo applied her proficient bilingual skills to efficiently take care of our matter. We are very grateful for what she did for us." |
A.P., Honolulu |
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Hongo Law Office LLLC is proud to have been acknowledged as one of the "Best Probate Attorneys in Honolulu for 2023" by Expertise.com. |
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Attorney Yuka Hongo has been named a 2023 Elite Lawyer in the area of Estate Planning in Hawaii. The award recognizes attorneys who have displayed a high level of competence in their practice. |
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You're invited to call or email |
"If you have questions about estate planning and administration, please don't hesitate to call. I'll be glad to hear from you." – Yuka
Call (808) 237-9944 or email yuka.hongo12@gmail.com |
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Meet Yuka Hongo, Esq. |
Yuka Hongo is a respected estate planning attorney based in Honolulu, Hawaii. She has practiced law for 10 years and is fluent in both English and Japanese. |
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Practice Areas: Yuka represents clients in matters related to estate planning such as the preparation of trusts, wills, and Transfer on Death Deeds. She also provides a service in the area of estate administration, including probate.
Education: In 2000, Yuka graduated from Oberlin College (Oberlin, OH), where she earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics and East Asian Studies. In 2004, she graduated from Loyola Law School (Los Angeles, CA), where she earned her Juris Doctor Degree. In 2022, Yuka graduated from Keio University (Tokyo, Japan) where she earned a Master of Laws Degree.
Court Admissions and Bar Memberships: Yuka is a member of the Hawaii, California, the District of Columbia Bar, and New York Bar Associations. Yuka is a member of the International Law Section of the Hawaii State Bar.
Additional Qualifications: Yuka is a Certifying Acceptance Agent who can obtain the ITIN tax number for foreigners in the U.S. In addition, she is a life insurance agent and a licensed notary public in Hawaii. Also, Yuka is fully bilingual in Japanese and English and has in-depth experience including complicated translations working with both languages.
Multicultural Background: Yuka has experience living and working in both the U.S. and Japan and has a thorough understanding of both cultures and the people who live in both countries. In addition, she loves working with people from other multicultural backgrounds, and working on international matters.
Accounting Experience: Yuka worked for the Tokyo office of a prominent U.S. accounting firm for the past number of years and has extensive experience working with tax and legal issues that arise from cross-border transactions.
Educational Presentations: Yuka has presented seminars in Japan relating to Transfer on Death Deeds in Hawaii and trusts in the United States.
Residence & Interests: Yuka lives in Honolulu, Hawaii and is single. She enjoys scoping out new eateries and restaurants. |
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