A provisional attachment (kari-sashiosae) freezes the debtor’s assets before the main action is commenced. The application is not, however, an end in itself. What matters is whether the assets attached are assets from which payment can in fact be obtained.
1. Success turns on the investigation carried out beforehand
Real property is the most common subject of attachment. Where a mortgage has been registered and no residual value remains, an attachment achieves nothing. The certificate of registered matters should therefore be obtained first, and the mortgages and their outstanding balances examined.
An attachment over bank deposits has the most immediate effect, but the bank and the branch must be identified. It is not unusual to apply simultaneously against several dozen institutions at which the debtor may hold an account.
An attachment over receivables requires the debtor’s own customers to be identified. Where the debtor is a company, an attachment of this kind has a serious effect on its standing with those customers.
2. Methods of investigation available
- Certificates of registered matters for real property (obtainable by anyone)
- Certificates of registered matters for the company (representative, offices, branches)
- Bar association inquiries under Article 23-2 of the Attorney Act of Japan
- Remittance accounts appearing in past transaction documents
- Banks named on the debtor’s website or in its trade materials
3. Security
The court will ordinarily require security, generally in the order of 20 to 30 per cent of the amount claimed, to be deposited with the Legal Affairs Bureau. The figure varies with the type of asset and the circumstances. The security may be recovered once the proceedings have concluded.
4. Timing
A debtor who realises that a claim is coming will begin to move assets. In some matters it is therefore preferable to apply for the attachment before any demand is sent. Which course is appropriate must be judged case by case.
How to contact us
Telephone 03-6435-8418 within Japan, or +81-3-6435-8418 from overseas. Lines are open from 08:00 to 24:00 Japan time, including Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. Enquiries are also received at any hour through the form on this site.
M&A Partners Law Office LPC Katsuhiro Tsuchiya, Representative Attorney-at-Law (Tokyo Bar Association, Registration No. 26775) 17F Mori Trust Shiroyama Trust Tower, 4-3-1 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
This article is a general explanation based on the laws and practice of Japan as at August 2026 (Reiwa 8). The outcome of any particular matter depends on its own facts, and no specific result is guaranteed.
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