Lost and Found in Tokyo: What to Do If You Lose Something

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Researched guide · Checked on Nov 5, 2026

Lost your phone, wallet or bag in Tokyo? Items handed in are kept at police boxes, police stations and the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Lost and Found Center. Here is exactly what to do, from filing a report to picking your item up, even if you have already left Japan.

Lost on a train, in a taxi or at the airport: who to contact

If you know where you lost it, contact that company first and do it quickly. Items often stay with the company for a short time and then go to the police.

Where you lost it	What to do	Phone and hours
JR East	Ask at a station, or use JR East’s find chat. Answers may take until the next day or later.	JR East Infoline: 050-2016-1603 (+81 50 2016 1603 from abroad). English, Chinese and Korean. 10:00–18:00, except the year-end and New Year holidays.
Tokyo Metro	Same day: the nearest station office. Next day to 4 days later: the Lost and Found Center at Iidabashi Station. After 5 days: usually the police Lost and Found Center.	Customer Relations Center: 0570-033-777. 9:00–17:00. There is also an email form.
Toei subway, bus and tram	Subway: any Toei station. Bus: the office or branch that runs the bus. Tram: any Tokyo Sakura Tram office. There is also a chat form.	Toei Customer Center: 03-3816-5711. 9:00–20:00 every day. English is available.
Taxi	Check your receipt or taxi app for the company and contact it. If you do not know the company, file a report at a police station or police box. The Tokyo Taxi Center does not handle lost items.	The number on your receipt or app.
Haneda Airport	Use the airport’s find chat, 9:00–21:00. It does not cover every area, such as Terminal 3 after departure procedures and airline lounges.	03-5757-8111. Domestic line 9:00–20:00. International line 24 hours.
Narita Airport	Use the airport’s find chat, with support 9:00–21:00. It does not cover every area, such as after the security check for international flights and before customs.	Narita Airport Information: 0476-34-8000. 24 hours.

• Left it on a plane? Contact your airline. The airport services above do not cover every area.
• Have the details ready: the date and time, the line or station, where you think you left it, and the color and shape of the item.
• A tracker or GPS does not speed up a train search: JR East says it cannot search a running train for one item, even if GPS shows where it is. Wait until the item is registered, then ask again.
• Do not wait too long: JR East only searches for items lost within the last 3 months.
• Tokyo Metro through trains: many trains continue onto other companies’ lines, so contact that company as well.
• Umbrellas and similar items: Tokyo Metro says items that look alike are hard to identify by phone, so check in person.

If you have lost something

• File a Lost Property Report at a police station or police box. The form is at every police office, and an English form is on the police website, so you can fill it in before you go. It must be handed in person.
• Items lost outside Japan cannot be reported.
• Give a Japanese phone number if you can. The police contact you if they think your item has been found, and as a rule they do not make international calls.
• Lost your passport? First ask your embassy or consulate whether you need a police certificate to get a new one.

Searching for your item

• The police have an online database of lost items, searchable by item type and date. It is in Japanese only and is updated at regular intervals.
• Ask the nearest police office, or the one for the area where you lost the item.
• Check with train and bus companies, airlines and shops too, as they may hold lost property for a few days before passing it to the police.

Picking up your item

Go to the office that holds your item: the police station, or the Lost and Found Center. Pick-up hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday, except national holidays and December 29 – January 3.

Bring	If someone else picks it up
Valid ID (passport, driver’s license or residence card)	Their valid ID, plus a photocopy of your ID
Lost Property Report, if you did not file one	Lost Property Report, if you did not file one
The notification letter, if you received one	A letter of authorization, and the notification letter (a photo is OK)
The reference number of the item	The reference number of the item

For a mobile phone, you also need the SIM card number or serial number.

If you have already left Japan

After proper verification, the police can ship your item to an address in Japan, at your cost. Send copies of these documents by mail to the office holding your item: a Property Shipping Request, a copy of the recipient’s ID, a copy of your ID, a Lost Property Report if you did not file one, a letter of authorization if someone else will receive it, and the notification letter if you received one. The forms are on the police website.

The Lost and Found Center’s phone number is 0570-550-142.

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