JJapan Finance

Investing money for kids education after leaving Japan

  • April 6, 2026

Thanks in advance for any advice on this matter.

I left Japan last year with my whole family and am wanting to invest some money to provide for my kids (possible) University educations when they reach 18. My kids are 3 and 5 and are dual national Japan and UK and have lived in Japan all their lives since they were born.

I understand there was a limit for gift taxes that I could invest on their behalf while living in Japan (¥1.1m).

If I wanted to invest more than the allotted ¥1.1m outside of Japan, would I need to pay gift tax on amounts above this? Is there a time limit when this limitation of ¥1.1m expires? 10 years after leaving?

Thanks

by timfinn1972

2 comments

  1. >If I wanted to invest more than the allotted ¥1.1m outside of Japan, would I need to pay gift tax on amounts above this?

    Yes. Since your children are Japanese citizens, they are liable for Japanese gift tax while living outside Japan unless they have not lived in Japan at any time during the past 10 years.

    >Is there a time limit when this limitation of ¥1.1m expires? 10 years after leaving?

    Yep, 10 years after leaving is the time limit.

  2. Why don’t you invest the money under your account and then pay for their education directly? Paying tuition directly to a university is not under the scope of the gift tax. That would solve the problem and if they don’t go to university, you still have all the money.

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