Survey: Nearly 80% Find Inheritance 'Family Meetings' Effective, Yet Only 15.7% Hold Them Before Death. Tokyo Shinjuku Law Office surveys individuals aged 45-70.

Key facts

  • Survey: Nearly 80% Find Inheritance 'Family Meetings' Effective, Yet Only 15.7% Hold Them Before Death. Tokyo Shinjuku Law Office surveys individuals aged 45-70.
  • A May 2026 survey of 300 individuals aged 45-70 by Tokyo Shinjuku Law Office revealed that nearly 80% of those who have held a 'family meeting' for inheritance found it effective in smoothing procedures. However, the majority of these meetings occurred after the inheritance event, with only 15.7% held beforehand. The survey suggests that visualizing assets and sharing the deceased's wishes contribute to satisfaction, highlighting the importance of planned dialogue that considers post-inheritance burdens.
  • Source: PR Times
  • Date: May 27, 2026

Direct answer

A May 2026 survey of 300 individuals aged 45-70 by Tokyo Shinjuku Law Office revealed that nearly 80% of those who have held a 'family meeting' for inheritance found it effective in smoothing procedures. However, the majority of these meetings occurred after the inheritance event, with only 15.7% held beforehand. The survey suggests that visualizing assets and sharing the deceased's wishes contribute to satisfaction, highlighting the importance of planned dialogue that considers post-inheritance burdens.

Citation
Survey: Nearly 80% Find Inheritance 'Family Meetings' Effective, Yet Only 15.7% Hold Them Before Death. Tokyo Shinjuku Law Office surveys individuals aged 45-70. (May 27, 2026), PR Times
Source
PR Times
Date
May 27, 2026
A May 2026 survey of 300 individuals aged 45-70 by Tokyo Shinjuku Law Office revealed that nearly 80% of those who have held a 'family meeting' for inheritance found it effective in smoothing procedures. However, the majority of these meetings occurred after the inheritance event, with only 15.7% held beforehand. The survey suggests that visualizing assets and sharing the deceased's wishes contribute to satisfaction, highlighting the importance of planned dialogue that considers post-inheritance burdens.
businessNQ 44/100出典：PR Times

📋 Article Processing Timeline

  • 📰 Published: May 27, 2026 at 10:00
  • 🔍 Collected: May 31, 2026 at 23:03 (109h 3m after Published)
  • 🤖 AI Analyzed: June 2, 2026 at 08:59 (33h 56m after Collected)
The Tokyo Shinjuku Law Office conducted a survey on 'inheritance family meetings' targeting individuals aged 45 to 70 who have experience holding such meetings. Disagreements over inheritance are often thought to arise not from the total value of the assets themselves, but from a lack of information sharing and differing perceptions of how to proceed. A 'family meeting' where family and relatives discuss inheritance before or after the event is considered an effective preventive measure. Therefore, this survey was conducted to understand the timing, satisfaction, effects, and strategies for a 'better family meeting' among those who have actually held one. - Timing: 'Only once after inheritance occurred' was the most common at 38.3%, while meetings before death accounted for only 15.7%. - Satisfaction: 62.7% were 'satisfied' with the process and content of the meeting, while only 8.7% were 'dissatisfied'. - Beneficial Topics: 'Visualizing the entire scope of assets' was the top topic at 36.7%, followed by 'Sharing the deceased's intentions and wishes' at 25.7%. - Effects: 'Smoother inheritance procedures' was the most cited effect at 39.3%, with about 80% experiencing some positive effect. - Improvement: 'Deciding on a policy that includes post-inheritance burdens' (24.0%) and 'Visualizing information' (23.0%) were ranked as effective for a better meeting. Survey Period: May 13, 2026 - May 15, 2026 Survey Method: Internet survey Target Audience: Individuals aged 45-70 who have held a family meeting regarding inheritance Sample Size: 300 The survey found that the most common timing for a family meeting was 'only once after inheritance occurred' at 38.3%, with meetings before death accounting for only 15.7%. When asked when and how many times they held the meeting, 'only once after inheritance occurred' was the most frequent answer (38.3%), followed by 'multiple times after inheritance occurred' (26.7%), and 'whenever the need arose' (19.3%). In contrast, cases where meetings were held before the deceased's passing were limited, with 'planned multiple times before death' at 8.0% and 'only once before death' at 7.7%, totaling just 15.7%. This suggests that most family meetings are held post-inheritance, and families that prepare and discuss in advance are in the minority. Regarding satisfaction with the meeting's process and content, 62.7% responded as satisfied ('very satisfied' 29.7% + 'somewhat satisfied' 33.0%). 28.7% were 'neutral', while the dissatisfied group ('somewhat dissatisfied' 5.3% + 'very dissatisfied' 3.3%) was only 8.7%. While many who held a meeting felt it was somewhat effective, nearly 30% were neutral, indicating room for improvement in the process and content in some cases. As for topics that were particularly good to discuss, 'Visualizing the entire scope of assets (real estate, savings, debts, etc.)' was the most common at 36.7%. This was followed by 'Sharing the deceased's intentions and wishes' (25.7%) and 'Organizing post-inheritance burdens like the family home, grave, and expenses' (10.7%). Aligning on foundational information, such as the overall assets and the deceased's wishes, is likely to lead to a more satisfactory discussion. Regarding the effects of the family meeting on preventing conflicts and worsening relationships, 'Smoother inheritance procedures' was the top answer at 39.3%. This was followed by 'Could prevent serious conflicts' (14.7%) and 'Could resolve minor disagreements early' (12.0%). In total, 78.7% of respondents felt some positive effect. However, some responses included 'Felt no particular effect' (5.0%) and 'There were moments it made family relations more awkward' (5.7%), suggesting that the approach taken can sometimes fail to yield the expected results. Looking back, when asked about what was or would be effective for a better family meeting, 'Deciding on a policy that includes post-inheritance burdens (family home, grave, expenses, etc.)' was the top answer at 24.0%. This was followed by 'Visualizing information like an asset inventory to discuss from the same page' (23.0%) and 'Holding planned, multiple family meetings starting before the deceased's passing' (19.7%). This suggests that forward-looking policy decisions, information visualization, and planned dialogue from before death could be key to improving the quality of family meetings. This survey revealed that most inheritance family meetings are held after the inheritance event, with only 15.7% conducted beforehand. Nevertheless, 62.7% were satisfied with the process and content, and about 80% experienced positive effects such as smoother procedures and conflict prevention. Visualizing the entire scope of assets and sharing the deceased's wishes were cited as beneficial topics, and respondents recognized that deciding on policies including post-inheritance burdens and visualizing information were effective for better meetings. These results suggest that planned dialogue starting before death and aligning on information about assets and burdens could be crucial in preventing inheritance disputes and reducing burdens.

FAQ

Why are 'family meetings' important for inheritance in Japan?

Although Japan's Civil Code defines legal heirs, disputes over how to divide the estate often arise among relatives, leading to conflicts. Therefore, advance information sharing and consensus building are extremely important.

Why does the survey show few meetings are held 'before death'?

In Japan, there is a cultural tendency to view discussions about death and property while someone is still alive as taboo. Practical issues, such as not knowing when or how to bring up the topic, are also contributing factors.

What does 'visualizing assets' specifically mean?

It means creating a complete inventory of all assets, including not only positive assets like real estate, savings, and stocks, but also negative assets like loans and debts, and sharing this information with all relevant parties.

What social issue in Japan does this survey reflect?

It reflects the social issue of an increasing number of inheritance cases due to a rapidly aging population, coupled with weakening communication among relatives due to the rise of nuclear families. This is considered a cause of inheritance disputes.

What role do experts like lawyers play in family meetings?

They advise on creating legally valid wills, facilitate discussions as neutral third parties, and act as mediators to avoid emotional conflicts and ensure constructive dialogue.

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