14:55 JST, May 14, 2026

To whom will you leave your assets after death, and how? Inheriting property is an issue that many people face. With the digitalization of wills, it is essential to take thorough security measures and ensure a smooth inheritance process.

A bill was approved during a Cabinet meeting to revise the Civil Code to allow people to use “digital wills” created on computers or smartphones. The bill will now be deliberated in the Diet.

Currently, wills mainly fall into two categories: “a will by holograph document,” which is written by a testator, and “a will by notarized document,” which is drawn up by a notary public.

Under the Civil Code, a holograph requires the testator to handwrite the entire text, the date and their name, and to affix their seal. As more people — including the elderly — use........

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