Tokyo Police Lost and Found & Shipping

How the Lost-Property Process Works in Tokyo

The place to contact first depends on where you think you lost the item. If you left it on a train, bus, taxi, or inside a shop, hotel, or other facility, contact that company or facility first. Many operators keep items for a period of time before transferring unclaimed property to the police. The holding period and transfer procedure vary, so there is no single timetable that applies to every item.

For example, Tokyo Metro operates its own Lost and Found Center at Iidabashi Station. Tokyo Metro says items are generally kept there for three to four days before unclaimed property is transferred to the TMPD Lost and Found Center. Other railway companies and facilities have their own procedures. If you know where the item was lost, contact that operator before assuming it has already reached the police.

If you lost an item in a public place, or do not know which facility may have it, you can contact a nearby police station or police box and file a Lost Property Report. A report allows the police to compare your description with property that has been turned in. If the police later identify a possible match, they may contact you using the information on your report.

If the missing item is a bank card, credit card, or mobile phone, also contact the card issuer, bank, or mobile phone carrier to help prevent unauthorized use. A police report and steps to protect your accounts or personal information are separate matters.

Contacting the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Lost and Found Center

The TMPD Lost and Found Center handles items that have been turned in to the police in Tokyo. Before visiting, contact the center to ask whether your item has arrived and where it is currently being held. If the item is at a local police station rather than the center, you will need to follow that station’s instructions.

The center is at 1-9-11 Koraku, Bunkyo-ku, near Iidabashi Station. According to the TMPD’s directions, the Toei Oedo Line’s Iidabashi Station Exit C2 has an elevator and is about a one-minute walk away. Several other nearby station exits are about five minutes away on foot.

There is no parking at the center, so visitors are asked to use public transportation. The counter closes at 4:30 p.m., while telephone inquiries are accepted until 5:15 p.m. The TMPD notes that the counter can become busy after 3:00 p.m. If you plan to collect an item, allow enough time and check the latest instructions before setting out.

For current directions and contact information, see the TMPD’s English information page for the Lost and Found Center.

How to Retrieve a Found Item

Once you are told that your item has been found, confirm which office is holding it and what you need to do next. The TMPD may keep an item at the Lost and Found Center or at a police station. Do not travel to the center until you have checked the location and collection procedure.

The TMPD provides an online service for booking a counter appointment at the Lost and Found Center. It also offers a locker return service for certain eligible items. The locker service is not available for every item. For example, the TMPD excludes unmarked items, mobile phones, and items that have not yet arrived at the center when the reservation is made.

The TMPD also provides an online procedure for sending found property by cash-on-delivery to an address in Japan. This may be useful if you live far away or cannot visit during counter hours. It is a domestic delivery service, not international shipping. If you are considering delivery to a hotel or another temporary address, confirm directly with the TMPD that the address and item are acceptable before relying on that option.

You can check current procedures on the TMPD’s online lost-property procedures page. Some online services may be available only in Japanese.

Documents You May Need

When collecting an item in person, the TMPD may ask you to show valid identification and information that links you to the lost-property record. Prepare the following, as applicable:

• A valid ID, such as a passport, driver’s license, or residence card.
• Your Lost Property Report, if you have not already filed one with the police.
• The notification letter or message you received about the item, if applicable.
• The reference number for the item or the report, if you have one.
• For a mobile phone, the SIM card number or serial number may also be required.

If a friend or relative will collect the item for you, the person collecting it should bring their own valid ID. The TMPD’s English guidance also lists a photocopy of your valid ID, a Letter of Authorization, any Lost Property Report that has not yet been filed, the notification letter or a picture of it, and the item’s reference number. Confirm the exact requirements with the office holding the item before the visit.

What to Do If You Have Already Left Japan

If you have returned home before learning that your property was found, first confirm which police office or facility is holding it. The TMPD’s published procedure allows eligible found property to be sent to an address in Japan after verification, at the recipient’s expense. The police procedure describes domestic delivery; it does not provide direct international shipping from the Lost and Found Center.

The TMPD lists documents that may be required for a domestic shipping request, including a Property Shipping Request, valid identification for the recipient and the owner, a Lost Property Report if one has not been filed, a Letter of Authorization if another person will receive the item, and the notification letter if one was issued. Contact the office holding your item to confirm the current forms and requirements.

If you do not have a friend or relative in Japan who can collect or receive the item, you may need help coordinating with the office and arranging onward international shipping. Whether this can be done depends on the office’s release procedure, the item, the shipping method, and the destination country’s rules.

International Shipping with Japan Luggage Express Ltd.

The TMPD Lost and Found Center does not arrange international shipping to your home country. Japan Luggage Express Ltd. can assist customers who are outside Japan and have difficulty contacting the relevant lost-property office. When the police or facility permits release to an authorized representative, we can discuss collection and onward shipment from Japan.

Depending on the item and destination, shipping options may include international postal services such as EMS, where available, or courier services such as DHL or UPS. Not every item can be shipped by every service. Carrier acceptance, customs rules, the destination country, packaging requirements, and battery restrictions can all affect the available options.

Before we can confirm a shipping method, please tell us what the item is, whether it contains a battery or medicine, where it is being held, and the country where you want it delivered. We will review the details and explain whether a shipping option may be available. Please do not arrange shipment until the item and destination have been checked.

Frequently Asked Questions

Losing something in Tokyo does not always mean it is gone for good. Contact the place where you may have left it, follow up with the relevant police office, and confirm the collection process before traveling. If you have already left Japan, Japan Luggage Express Ltd. can review whether assistance with retrieval and international shipping may be possible.

Lost-property handling, reservation options, and shipping eligibility may change. Confirm the latest requirements with the police office, transport operator, carrier, and destination country before arranging collection or delivery.