Can I Send Tax Documents by Email to a Japanese Tax Accountant?
As a general rule, you should not send passports, tax notices, contracts, bank documents, My Number, passwords, or other sensitive information through ordinary email or a website inquiry form.
If you live outside Japan and need Japanese tax support, it is natural to want to send all documents immediately. However, ordinary email and website forms are not the right place for sensitive tax or identity documents.
Kudan Partners Tax & Accounting Office asks non-resident property owners to provide only basic, non-sensitive background information at the initial inquiry stage. If documents are required after we confirm the engagement scope, we will provide a secure document sharing method.
This article explains what you can write in an initial inquiry, what you should not send, and how document sharing normally works after an engagement begins.
What You Can Include in an Initial Inquiry
At the first contact stage, we only need enough information to understand the general nature of your case. You can usually include the following information.
- Your country of residence.
- Whether you live outside Japan or plan to leave Japan.
- The general location of your Japanese property, such as the prefecture or city.
- The number of properties.
- Whether the property is rented, vacant, used personally, or under sale process.
- Whether you have filed Japanese tax returns before.
- Whether you already have a tax representative in Japan.
- A brief description of what kind of support you are looking for.
For example, it is usually enough to write that you own one rental property in Tokyo and currently live outside Japan. You do not need to send the exact address, tax notice, passport, contract, or bank documents through the first inquiry form.
What You Should Not Send Through Ordinary Email or Website Forms
Please do not send the following documents or information through an ordinary email message or a public website form.
- Passport copies or identity documents.
- Japanese tax notices from tax offices or local governments.
- Tax returns, withholding records, or detailed tax calculations.
- Purchase agreements, sale agreements, lease agreements, or loan documents.
- Bank statements, passbooks, remittance details, credit card information, or account numbers.
- My Number or Japanese Individual Number information.
- Passwords, authentication codes, or credentialed URLs.
- Any document that contains detailed personal, financial, or tax information.
Why We Do Not Request Sensitive Documents at the Inquiry Stage
There are three reasons.
- Security: ordinary email and website forms may not be suitable for sensitive identity, tax, or banking documents.
- Scope control: before an engagement begins, we need to confirm whether we can assist and what services are required.
- Data minimization: we should not collect more personal or tax information than necessary at the initial stage.
Data minimization means limiting the information collected to what is necessary for the purpose at that stage. At the inquiry stage, detailed documents are usually not required.
How Document Sharing Works After Engagement
If we confirm that we may be able to assist you, we normally proceed in the following order.
- You submit basic non-sensitive information through the inquiry form.
- We review the initial information and confirm the likely service scope.
- We may propose an Initial Written Case Review or another engagement step.
- After the engagement scope, fees, and terms are agreed in writing, we provide instructions for document sharing.
- You submit required documents using the method we specify for the engagement.
The exact document-sharing method depends on the case, document type, and security requirements. We do not ask clients to upload sensitive documents through the initial website form or send them by ordinary email before an engagement is confirmed.
Examples for Non-Resident Property Owners
| Situation | Initial inquiry information | Do not send at first contact |
|---|---|---|
| Rental income from Japanese property | Country of residence, property city, rental status, prior filing history | Lease agreement, rental statements, tax notices, bank details |
| Sale of Japanese real estate | Whether sold or planning to sell, property city, approximate sale timing | Sale agreement, purchase agreement, settlement statement, withholding records |
| Fixed asset tax notice support | Property city, whether notices can be received in Japan, current residence country | Actual tax notice, payment slips, local government documents |
Does Submitting the Form Create a Client Relationship?
No. Submitting an inquiry form does not create a client relationship. An engagement begins only after we confirm the scope of work and both parties agree to the engagement terms.
Until an engagement is agreed, please keep your inquiry limited to general background information and do not send sensitive documents.
Related Services
- Tax representative service in Japan for non-resident property owners
- Japanese rental income tax return for non-residents
- Capital gains tax filing for the sale of Japanese real estate
- Fixed asset tax notice support for overseas owners
- FAQ for non-resident property owners
- About Kudan Partners Tax & Accounting Office
Related Articles
- Documents Needed for Japanese Tax Filing by Non-Residents
- What Happens If I Leave Japan Without Appointing a Tax Representative?
- Before Selling Japanese Real Estate as a Non-Resident
Request a Written Case Review
If you need Japanese tax support as a non-resident or overseas owner of Japanese real estate, please contact us with basic non-sensitive information about your residence, property, rental status, sale plan, and prior Japanese tax filing history.
Please do not attach or include passports, tax notices, contracts, bank documents, My Number, passwords, or other sensitive information in the first inquiry.
Official References
- Personal Information Protection Commission: Guidelines on the Act on the Protection of Personal Information
- National Tax Agency: FAQ on identity confirmation related to My Number procedures
External official references are provided for general information. The handling of personal data and tax documents depends on the specific facts, document type, and engagement scope.