A Japan Post missed-delivery notice means an item could not be handed over. Keep the notice: it identifies the item, the office handling it and the deadline for receiving it. Choose between redelivery and collection before filling in a request. The English online form is specifically for redelivery to the address shown on the notice.
This guide concerns Japan Post items being received in Japan. Another courier’s slip needs that courier’s service. Official instructions were checked on October 1, 2026.
Find these details on the slip first
Printed layouts differ. Look for the following information rather than relying on a particular colour or position on the card.
| Detail | What you need it for |
|---|---|
| Tracking or notification number | Identifies the item in the request form; it is not your postal code |
| Holding deadline, often labelled 保管期限 | Tells you when action is needed; do not calculate a new deadline from the day you happen to read the slip |
| Delivery office and contact details | The place to ask about collection or an arrangement the form does not support |
| Recipient and delivery address | Check that the notice is for you and that home redelivery is the right option |
Do not post a photo of the complete slip publicly when asking for help. The numbers and address are for your request, not information a public forum needs.
For home redelivery, use Japan Post’s own form
Japan Post’s English redelivery form asks for the six-digit or 11–13-digit reference shown on the notice. Enter your tracking or notification number in that field, then follow the prompts. Do not substitute your address’s postal code.
The form limits this route to the address indicated on the notice. It directs requests for another location or post-office collection to the call centre. Do not try to turn the home-redelivery request into a pickup request by entering a post office as though it were your home.
Before confirming, check the address and the date or time offered for your item. Keep the confirmation details. Opening the form, or looking up tracking, is not by itself a redelivery request. If the form rejects the reference or offers no usable arrangement, use the contact details on the notice instead of changing digits to make it pass.
For collection, contact the handling office before travelling
Japan Post’s practical English guide tells recipients to contact the number on the notice before collecting. It lists the notice, identification showing the current address and a personal name seal among the items to bring. Confirm the current requirements for your particular item when arranging collection.
Ask which counter holds it and when that counter is open. Do not assume that your nearest branch has the item, or that every counter in the building has the same hours. Collection by someone else can involve different requirements; this guide covers the named recipient collecting their own item.
For example, if you work away from home all day, collection may fit your schedule better than another missed home visit. That is a planning example, not a claim that pickup is immediately available at any branch.
How long will Japan Post hold it?
There is no single period to apply to every notice.
| Official guidance | Stated period |
|---|---|
| Domestic absence FAQ | Seven days; the item is returned to the sender if delivery cannot be completed within that period |
| Incoming international parcel FAQ | Fifteen days for the items covered by that FAQ; one month for taxed items and the other cases it identifies |
These are service rules, not permission to ignore an earlier date on your own notice. Do not apply the international-parcel period to a domestic letter, or assume that finding the slip late restarts the clock. If the deadline is close or unclear, contact the handling office with the reference number.
A short decision example
Suppose your notice shows a deadline this week, and you can be home tomorrow evening. Start with the official redelivery form and see which slots it offers. If none works and you could visit the office, arrange collection through the contact route instead. If you will be away beyond the deadline, ask the handling office what is possible now; do not assume the item will wait automatically.
Sending documents rather than receiving them? Our A4 document guide explains outgoing service choices, while the return Letter Pack guide helps distinguish the outward and return addresses.