Posting letters to the 'current resident' of a Japanese residential address

AndyAust · 4 Mar 2024

I am wanting to send a letter from Australia to a residential address in Japan, but not knowing if a friend is still living there.

A previous attempt a few years ago resulted in the letter being returned to me by Japan Post, with a red rubber stamp mark suggesting 'recipient unknown', or wording to that effect.

It has been suggested to me that if there is a lack of a name on the envelope, or the name of a resident who doesn't match the Japan Post database for that address, then the letter will be returned to the sender.

Is someone able to confirm this for me?

What would be the correct way to send a letter in this situation, for it to be delivered to the current residents, if this is at all possible?

Would appreciate any advice.

Majestic · 5 Mar 2024

Interesting question. I just looked around on some online forums, and the answer seems to be "if it doesn't have a name, the Japanese post office will not deliver it". And the writers cite a Japanese postal law wherein the Japan Post Office has some obligation to make sure the intended recipient is indicated on the letter, so that it can be delivered to that person. So on a residential letter, if the intended recipient is unclear, the letter gets kicked out of the system. (Letters to a business can get addressed to the company or department, no private name needed).

Other posters say, "yes that is the law, but sometimes stuff still gets through without a name". So I suspect there is a slim chance it could get through if you write "current resident" or something as the name. My gut feeling is; if your target address is in Tokyo, and the post office is used to handling large volumes of mail from overseas, it might get through. If you are sending it to some place out in the provinces, where any "out-of-the-ordinary" mail is subject to scrutiny, it will probably get kicked back.

Current Resident
4-5-6 Marunouchi
Tokyo, Japan 123-0000

mdchachi · 5 Mar 2024

Majestic said:
Interesting question. I just looked around on some online forums, and the answer seems to be "if it doesn't have a name, the Japanese post office will not deliver it". And the writers cite a Japanese postal law wherein the Japan Post Office has some obligation to make sure the intended recipient is indicated on the letter, so that it can be delivered to that person. So on a residential letter, if the intended recipient is unclear, the letter gets kicked out of the system. (Letters to a business can get addressed to the company or department, no private name needed).

Other posters say, "yes that is the law, but sometimes stuff still gets through without a name". So I suspect there is a slim chance it could get through if you write "current resident" or something as the name. My gut feeling is; if your target address is in Tokyo, and the post office is used to handling large volumes of mail from overseas, it might get through. If you are sending it to some place out in the provinces, where any "out-of-the-ordinary" mail is subject to scrutiny, it will probably get kicked back.

Current Resident
4-5-6 Marunouchi
Tokyo, Japan 123-0000

There's no equivalent to "Current Resident"? What if you want to send some marketing material to let local residents know that you're opening a neighborhood barber shop? Or maybe that's a different class of mail?

Mikawa Ossan · 5 Mar 2024

Looks like you don't have to address the letter to anyone at all.

[URL='https://translate.google.com/?sl=auto&tl=en&text=受取人の氏名が記載されていなくても、受取人の住所または居所が記載されていれば、その住所または居所にお届けします%E3%80%82&op=translate' said:
Japan Post (English Translation by Google)[/URL]]Even if the recipient's name is not listed, if the recipient's address or residence is listed, the package will be delivered to that address or residence.

Here is the original.

郵便局 | 日本郵便株式会社

受取人の氏名が記載されていなくても、受取人の住所または居所が記載されていれば、その住所または居所にお届けします。

www.post.japanpost.jp

I'm not sure how they would respond to a letter without a proper addressee with an address written all in romaji, but it looks like it's worth a shot.

AndyAust · 5 Mar 2024

Thank you for your responses.

Out of interest, this is a letter returned to me by Japan Post several years ago, for the address that I had been corresponding with regularly for many years prior.

Majestic · 5 Mar 2024

Mikawa Ossan said:
Looks like you don't have to address the letter to anyone at all.

That's for businesses who want to send out mass mailings. Its a particular service offered by Japan Post. You can see the conditions for using that service (including the requirement to have 1000 or more items to mail)

ご利用の条件

受取人の氏名が記載されていないこと。
定形郵便物、通常はがきまたは往復はがきとすること。
料金後納（料金を後納とする料金計器別納を含みます。）とすること。
郵便局留置の表示をしないものであること。
外装に、「転送不要」、受取人の住所などを表す所定のバーコード、「特別あて所配達」など、所定の表示をすること。
（詳しい表示内容は、差出予定の郵便局にお問い合わせください。）
年間1,000通以上差し出す旨などを申し出ること。
他の特殊取扱としないものであること。

Mikawa Ossan · 5 Mar 2024

Ah, teaches me to read the entire page, and not just one section.

In that case, I don't know of any recourse for the OP.

Posting letters to the 'current resident' of a Japanese residential address

AndyAust

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Majestic

先輩

mdchachi

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Mikawa Ossan

いかんわ！