Your family back home probably doesn’t understand Japanese bureaucracy, Japanese geography, or Japanese.
They might not know what a ward office is or why it matters. They might not understand the difference between Chiba-shi and Chiba-ken. They might not know that your address is written backwards from what they’re used to.
They definitely don’t know which documents are required for what procedures, or how long things take, or why everything requires so much paperwork.
This creates problems if they need to be involved in handling your affairs, because they’ll be operating in a system they don’t understand, in a language they don’t speak, with cultural expectations they’re not familiar with.
But they’re still your family, and they still want to help and be involved in appropriate ways.
The key is setting realistic expectations and providing clear guidance about what they can help with and what they can’t.
They probably can’t navigate Japanese banking requirements, but they can handle your overseas assets. They probably can’t communicate with Japanese officials without help, but they can coordinate with family members back home. They probably can’t easily arrange a Japanese funeral, but they can plan a memorial service in your home country.
Make it clear what role you want them to play and what role you need your Japan-based contacts to play. Give them specific instructions about who to contact for what purpose.
And please, for everyone’s sake, make sure your emergency contacts actually answer their phones and speak enough English to communicate with your overseas family.
Nothing creates family drama faster than important people being unreachable during a crisis.
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