One of the first items you receive at the airport when immigrating (three months or longer) to Japan is a residence card, also called a 在留カード (Zairyuu Card). This residence card is one of the most important forms of ID that foreigners need in Japan, and you are required to have it on you at all times.
The residence card is equipped with an IC chip for security purposes, and the exterior of the card has all of the holder's personal information, such as name, birthdate, address, and most importantly your residence status, work restrictions, and the expiration date of the card.
If there are ever changes to your personal information, such as your address because of moving, or your name due to marriage, then you need to have these changes reflected on your residence card. If you quit your job or obtain a job that requires you to change your visa or residence status then you also need to notify immigration.
In times of moving, you will need to go to your city hall within 14 days of moving, and the city hall will notify immigration, and print your new address on the back of the card.
In times of a name change, you will need to go to immigration within 14 days of receiving your new passport or name change documents, and immigration will print you a new card.
When quitting your job, and then also when starting a new job, you need to notify immigration either through writing or electronically within 14 days. I will provide a link to the electronic notification website at the end of this post.
When you obtain a new job that will require you to change your residence status (For example, Instructor to Engineer/Specialist in Humanities), or say you are a student and you want permission to work, all of this is done through immigration, and any changes need to be reflected clearly on your card. There are a lot of different scenarios for changing one's residence status, and I cannot touch on them all in this post, so I'll link the immigration website and different kinds of residence types at the end of this post.
When you eventually decide to leave Japan permanently as a resident, you are also required to return the card when exiting Japan at the airport.
This is all to say that your residence card is extremely important, and you are liable for a police officer to ask you to show them your residence card at any given time. It is not something that you can refuse to comply with, and you can be fined (up to 20,000 yen (1565.47 USD) ) for not having your card on you.
But life happens right, sometimes you lose your card... Like myself... Well, do not panic! Down below, I list your options for recovering your card!
Fortunately, if you've lost your card, at least you've lost it in a country that has a procedure for almost anything, and there's also a high chance of your lost item being turned in! Woo!
Officially, when you lose your residence card (or it was stolen), your first plan of action should be to go to your nearest police box (koban) or police department and submit a Lost Item Report (紛失届). If you live in Kanagawa Prefecture, you can do the procedure online. However, since you will also need to obtain a Receipt or Certificate of Lost/Stolen/Damaged Item Report (遺失届出証明書・盗難届出証明書・り災証明書), you'll need to physically go in for this. (If you lose a train fare card or anything else that doesn't require immediate replacing by the authorities, by all means, use the online system!)
Once you receive the certificate from the police, you'll then have 14 days to go to immigration and apply for the issuance of a new card.
What you'll need to get a new card are as follows:
- Residence Card Reissue Application (here)
- Photo
- Lost/Stolen/Damage report certificate (from the police)
- Passport (Just to show)
If you know exactly where you've lost your card, say in a taxi or on a train, you should check with those companies first. When I lost my bag on the train, I contacted the train station lost and found and they actually identified my bag within a few hours! No need to go through the hassle of making an official police report and taking a trip (and a day off of work) to go to your nearest immigration office.
If it has been a few days before you finally realize you've lost your residence card, you should check the lost and found of the police department. If you live in Kanagawa, you can search the lost and found online! Unfortunately, there is a bit of a delay in updating the system, but can search through a plethora of categories, and maybe your residence card will show up and where to find it!
As for myself, I am extremely busy with getting acclimated to school and also my new routine with raising my daughter so it was at least a week before I noticed my residence card was missing. Yup, just my residence card, not anything else.
It was Golden Week, and the only time I went out was to the park, and I had my residence card in my phone case (don't put any cards in your phone case btw), like the secret cash part that you can't see. I had taken a lot of pictures that day of flowers with my phone, but I was also busy with my toddler, so it probably slipped out and I didn't even notice.
I didn't even know my residence card was missing until I was leaving the house for school on Monday morning and I checked my case because my train fare cards are in there. Since I had a bus to catch, an exam to take, and I had never been asked to show my residence card to a police officer in the four years I've lived in Japan, I took the risk of going to school first (don't copy me. I don't recommend anyone do this).
I figured that maybe my residence card was in the house somewhere because my daughter sometimes gets into my bag, wallet, or phone case. So, I decided to look for it when I got home. Well, I looked high and low for two days. I also checked the online lost and found, and no luck.
I finally resigned myself to going to the police box across the street from my apartment on Friday, but before that, I got a letter in the mail from the police stating that they found my card, and where to pick it up! Yay!
In order to pick up my card, I needed to go to the police station where my item was housed. You can find that information highlighted in the letter you receive.
Once I got to the police station (If you lose your item in Yokohama, Nishi Ward (For example, Minato Mirai or Yokohama Station) your items will most likely be held at the Tobe Police station.), I went to the lost and found counter which is on the second floor, and handed over the letter I received.
The lady at the counter asked for ID to confirm my address, and I also gave my passport as an additional ID. I then only had to wait about 3 minutes, and she came back and asked me to confirm if this was the item. I said yes, and then I only had to sign a paper (name, address, date, and phone number) stating that I received my items and that was it!
If you lost your items in say Kyoto on a trip, but you are now back in Tokyo. You may be able to have the items sent to you without you actually needing to go back to Kyoto. In that case, you'll probably have to make a call. I've never done that procedure, but when I did lose my pasmo card on a trip to Tokyo, the police officer called and asked if I wanted it sent to my home in Yokohama. You will have to fill out a form 物件送付依頼書, and pay for the shipping, and that will most likely be cash on demand.
I feel like I got really lucky this time, and am really grateful that once again, my items were found, safe, and sound. So, I hope this post will help you find your missing items or be able to solve the situation with a bit of ease!
Any other tips on what to do if you lost an item in Japan? Leave them in the comments below!
Resources
List of Procedures Related to Residence Status
Kanagawa Online Lost and Found Search System
Application of Reissuance of Residence Card (PDF)
Application of Reissuance of Residence Card Requirements (ENG)
Lost and Found Form TOKYO (fill it in and take it with you)
Lost and Found Form KANAGAWA (Fill it in a take it with you)
Lost Property Report KANAGAWA ONLINE
 to Japan is a residence card, also called a 在留カー...){kind=link}
0 comments