Verified in Japan

Practical Travel · Published 2026-09-29 · Updated 2026-09-29

Facts last checked 2026-09-29 · Next review 2027-03-01

Lost something in Japan? How the lost-and-found system works, step by step

File a Lost Property Report at a police box, search the police database, and call the train or bus company. Here is the process the Tokyo police describe, including the catch about phone numbers.

A leather wallet with cash and cards on a table
Photo: Lukas Blazek / Pexels

If you lose something in Japan, getting it back depends on a process, and the process has a few details that can trip visitors up. This is how the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) explains it on its English lost-and-found pages, checked on 2026-09-29.

Step 1: report it

  • Go to a police station or police box (koban) and file a Lost Property Report. The form is at any police office.
  • You can also fill in the form on the police website in advance and submit it in person.
  • Reports sent by email or other means are not accepted.
  • The police cannot accept reports of items lost outside Japan.

The MPD's page for visitors also suggests going to a koban for lost items, getting lost and theft.

Step 2: stop misuse of cards and phones

If you lost a bank card, credit card or mobile phone, contact the card issuer or phone carrier to prevent fraud or misuse. Do this at the same time as the police report, not after.

Step 3: search and ask around

  • The police have an online database of found items, searchable by type and date. The MPD notes it is only in Japanese and is updated at intervals.
  • Contact the railway, bus company, airline or business where you may have left the item. The police note they may keep lost property for a few days.

The phone number catch

To contact you when an item is found, the police ask for a Japanese phone number. They say that, as a rule, they do not make international calls. If you do not have a Japanese number, ask at the koban how they can reach you, for example through your hotel.

Step 4: collecting your item

  • Go to the office that contacted you, with the documents they ask for.
  • The MPD Lost and Found Center's hours are 8:30 to 16:30, Monday to Friday, except national holidays and December 29 to January 3.
  • To claim a lost mobile phone, the SIM card number or serial number is also required.

If your card issuer or phone carrier contacts you instead, ask them which police station holds the item and its report number.

Lost your passport?

The MPD advises contacting your embassy or consulate first, to check whether you need a police certificate to have the passport reissued. See Your passport in Japan.

Sources