How to File a Lost Item Report (遺失届) in Japan in English
Every guide about losing something in Japan tells you to file a police report first. Almost none of them explain what actually happens when you walk into a police box, what the officer will ask, or what you need to walk out with. This page is written for someone standing outside a koban right now, holding a phone, unsure what to say.
Short on time or already at the airport? We file and follow up these reports in Japanese for you — including after you have left the country.
On this page
Why is filing a report more important than searching?
Because Japan's system is built to match found items against filed reports. If your item is handed in and no report exists, there is nothing for it to be matched to — the item sits in custody until the holding period expires and is then disposed of.
This is the single most misunderstood point about losing something in Japan. Travelers spend days phoning venues and refreshing websites, and never file the one document that makes recovery automatic.
Think of it from the other side. Someone hands a wallet to a police box in Shinjuku. It is logged, described and stored. Meanwhile you are in Kyoto searching online. Nothing connects the two facts unless a report exists with your description and contact details in it. Filing the report is what closes that loop.
It is free, it takes about twenty minutes, and it works even if you have no idea where you lost the item.
Where do I go, and which police box should I use?
Go to the nearest koban — a small neighbourhood police box, usually near major intersections and station exits, staffed around the clock. Any koban can take your report; it does not have to be near where you lost the item.
A koban is not the same as a large police station, and for lost property it is the better choice. They are small, ordinary and used constantly by the public for exactly this kind of thing. Walking in is unremarkable.
How to find one: search maps for "koban" or "police box" rather than "police station", which will send you to a much larger and busier building. Look for a small building with a red lamp outside and a KOBAN sign, often at a corner or immediately outside a station exit.
| Situation | Where to go |
|---|---|
| You know roughly where you lost it | A koban near that area, if convenient. Not essential, but slightly faster. |
| You have no idea where you lost it | Any koban. The report enters the same system regardless. |
| You are leaving Japan today | The nearest koban to you right now, or the police desk at the airport. |
| The item was stolen | Any koban, but say clearly it was stolen — see the section below. |
| It is the middle of the night | Go anyway. Koban are staffed 24 hours. |
What should I bring?
Identification, an address in Japan where you can be contacted, and as much detail about the item as you can assemble. Nothing else is required and there is no fee.
Before you walk in
- Your passport or residence card. If your passport was what you lost, bring any other photo identification you still have.
- A contact address in Japan. Your hotel name and address is fine. Have it written down, ideally in Japanese from your booking confirmation.
- A phone number they can reach you on. A Japanese number is ideal; a foreign number with an email address as backup is acceptable.
- A photo of the item if you have one. Enormously helpful and rarely thought of.
- Your written description in Japanese. See the phrases further down — showing text is far faster than speaking.
The five steps, in order
Total time is usually fifteen to thirty minutes, longer if there is a language gap and no written notes.
What is the form actually asking?
The form records the item, where and when it was lost, and how to reach you. Lost property records are structured rather than descriptive, so answering in the shape of those fields makes your report searchable.
| Field | Japanese | What to give |
|---|---|---|
| Item category | 品名 | Wallet, phone, bag, passport, camera. One word. |
| Colour and material | 色・材質 | "Black leather", "silver metal". One primary colour. |
| Brand or maker | メーカー | If visible on the outside. Very useful if present. |
| Distinguishing features | 特徴 | The decisive field. A scratch, a sticker, a keyring, a name written inside. |
| Contents | 内容物 | Two or three specific things inside. For a wallet, note the approximate cash amount. |
| Where lost | 遺失場所 | As precise as you can. "Somewhere in Shibuya" is still acceptable. |
| When lost | 遺失日時 | Date and approximate time. An estimate is fine. |
| Your name | 氏名 | As on your passport. |
| Contact address | 住所・連絡先 | Hotel or address in Japan, plus phone and email. |
The field that decides everything
"Distinguishing features" is what converts a possible match into a confirmed one. Thousands of black wallets pass through the system. One black wallet with a torn corner and a Kyoto train ticket inside is identifiable. Give them something only the owner would know.
Show these on your phone
We do this part in Japanese
LostInJapan files and follows up the report on your behalf, contacts the station holding your case, and chases the operators most likely to have received the item. If it is found, we collect it with the required paperwork and ship it to you anywhere in the world.
See how it worksThe report number you must not lose
The 受理番号 (juri bango) is the reference assigned to your report. Your embassy, your insurer and every later enquiry will ask for it. Photograph it before you leave the police box.
Losing this number is the most common avoidable mistake. Recovering it afterwards means calling a Japanese-language police line, knowing which station holds the record, and explaining who you are — all in Japanese.
Three things to capture before you walk out:
- The report number itself. Photograph the paper, do not just glance at it.
- The name of the police station. The koban is often an outpost of a larger station, and it is that station that will hold your record. Ask which one.
- A phone number for follow-up, if they offer one.
Lost or stolen? They are not the same report
A lost item report (遺失届) covers property you misplaced. A theft report (被害届) covers property taken from you and opens a criminal matter. Many insurers specifically require the theft report, so say clearly which applies.
This distinction has real consequences and travelers often let it slide, either from uncertainty or from not wanting to make a fuss.
| Lost item report 遺失届 | Theft report 被害届 | |
|---|---|---|
| Use when | You misplaced it | It was taken from you |
| What it triggers | Matching against found property | A criminal report, plus matching |
| Time required | 15–30 minutes | Longer — more detail is taken |
| Insurance | Sometimes sufficient | Usually required for theft claims |
If you are genuinely unsure — you set a bag down and it was gone minutes later — describe exactly what happened and let the officer decide which report fits. Do not guess, and do not downplay it to avoid inconvenience.
What happens after I file?
Your report enters the lost property system and is matched against items handed in. If a match occurs, police contact you using the details on the report. Nothing further is required from you unless they make contact.
Two realistic expectations worth setting.
You will probably not be called quickly. A match depends on someone handing the item in, and that can take days. Silence in the first week does not mean failure.
Contact will be in Japanese. If police call and you cannot understand them, the recovery can stall at the final step. If you have no Japanese-speaking contact in the country, this is worth solving in advance rather than at the moment the call comes.
It is also worth checking back proactively rather than waiting. Items are logged continuously, and an enquiry two weeks later can surface something that was not there when you filed. The holding period gives you roughly three months, and the clock starts when the item reaches police, not when you lost it.
Already left Japan, or cannot make the call?
We handle the Japanese-language side: filing and following up the report, checking with the station holding your case, collecting the item with written authorisation, and shipping it internationally. Searches run for up to 90 days.
Start a searchFrequently asked questions
- How do I report a lost item to Japanese police in English?
- Go to any koban and ask for an ifutsu-todoke. English-speaking staff are rare at police boxes, so bring your details written in Japanese and show them on your phone. No fee, no appointment.
- What is a koban?
- A small neighbourhood police box, usually near major intersections and station exits, staffed around the clock. The correct first stop for lost property.
- What is the report number and why does it matter?
- The juri bango identifies your report. Your embassy, insurer and every later enquiry will ask for it. Photograph it before leaving.
- What is the difference between a lost item report and a theft report?
- The former covers misplaced property, the latter property taken from you, which opens a criminal matter. Insurers usually require the theft report for stolen items.
- Do I still need to file if I already asked the station or taxi company?
- Yes. Operators hold items only briefly before transferring them to police, and police match items against filed reports. Without a report there is nothing to match.
- Can I file a report after I have left Japan?
- Not in person, but an enquiry can still be made with the police station covering the area, and someone in Japan can act on your behalf. Filing before you fly is always better.
Related guides
- Lost Wallet in Japan: Will I Get the Cash Back? What to cancel first, and why cash is genuinely recoverable here.
- Lost Passport in Japan: Complete 2026 Recovery Guide The police report is step one — here is everything after it.
- Japan's 3-Month Rule: How Long Lost Items Are Held How long your report stays relevant, and when the clock starts.
- Left Your Phone in a Tokyo Taxi? Before you file, check whether the taxi company still has it.
- JR Lost and Found in English If it happened on a train, the operator matters more than the station.
This guide is general information for travelers and is not legal advice. Procedures vary between police stations and can change. Confirm specifics with the officers handling your case. LostInJapan is an independent service and is not affiliated with the Japanese police or any government agency.