Court Reporting & Depositions in Japan

Osaka

Tokyo

Deposition Services in Japan

Depositions may only take place at:

U.S. Embassy (Tokyo):
American Citizen Services
U.S. Embassy
10-5, Akasaka, 1-chome, Minato-ku
Tokyo 107-8420 Japan
Telephone: 81.3.3224.5000
Fax: 81.3.3224.5856
tokyoacs@state.gov

U.S. Consulate (Osaka):
Chief, American Citizen Services Unit
U.S. Consulate General Osaka-Kobe
11-5 Nishitenma 2 chome, Kita-ku
Osaka 530-8543 Japan
Telephone: 81.6.6315.5900
Fax: 81.6.6315.5914
aok@state.gov

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Prior permission required per the U.S.-Japan consular convention of 1963

Special Deposition Visa Required

Scheduling Timeline

Send your conference room reservation request to the Consulate or the Embassy at least six weeks prior to your requested dates of depositions.
Submit the reservation fee within 3 weeks of making your request.
Six weeks before the depositions start:
- Send the original court order/commission to the Embassy/Consulate along with the statutory fees
- Click here to submit your court order/commission and Special Deposition Visa application packet for inspection by our team of experts.
- Your reservation will be canceled without further notice if the court order and fees are not received 6 weeks prior to the deposition.
Apply for the Special Deposition Visa at least 3 weeks before the start of the deposition.
Send a list to the Embassy/Consulate of all participants to the deposition along with all electronic equipment they are bringing.

Specific Rules at the Embassy and Consulate

Consular officer must administer the oath.
Wireless devices are allowed, but Wi-Fi and Bluetooth must be disabled.
Videoconferencing connections are available with permission from the Embassy/Consulate.
No food or drink is permitted in either building.

How We Can Help

U.S.-trained court reporters, videographers, and technicians living in Japan with resident cards (no need for a deposition visa!)
No Travel Fees.
Vetted interpreters with extensive deposition experience.
On-the-ground assistance to handle exhibit printing, shredding and other administrative needs.
24/7 support.

Conference Rooms in Japan

Deposition conference room availability in Japan has become understandably more restrictive over the past couple of years due to the pandemic. Depositions are permitted to take place in Japan only at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo or the U.S. Consulate in Osaka. Each location has one conference room available for use with a maximum occupancy of five people at any given time. It is illegal to take depositions outside of the Embassy or Consulate in Japan.

Although all conference rooms may be booked for the period you need at the time of your inquiry, there is a high cancellation rate, so rooms do become available frequently.

Planet Depos typically receives notice of cancellations from our clients before the Consulate or Embassy is informed. With this information, depositions can be scheduled with our assistance on short notice and/or during times when consular staff may have indicated that rooms are fully booked.

Arbitration Conference Rooms

There are no restrictions on where arbitrations can be held in Japan. Contact us to learn more about how we can assist you with arbitrations in Japan.