Lost Property Day

What Is Lost Property Day?

Every April 25th is "Lost Property Day" (拾得物の日, Shūtokubutsu no Hi) in Japan. On April 25, 1980, a truck driver found a furoshiki cloth bundle containing 100 million yen in cash by the roadside in Ginza, Tokyo, and turned it in to the police. The date commemorates this famous incident and serves as a reminder of how lost and found property is handled in Japan.

The 100-Million-Yen Incident in Ginza

On the evening of April 25, 1980, truck driver Hisao Ōnuki spotted a cloth bundle at the roadside in Ginza 3-chōme. Inside was 100 million yen, still in Bank of Japan wrappers. He handed it in to the police, and the story made national headlines. No owner ever came forward, and after the six-month waiting period required by the law at the time, Ōnuki acquired ownership of the money in November 1980. He reportedly paid around 34 million yen of it in income tax.

Japan's Lost and Found Culture

Japan is widely known for how often lost property finds its way back to its owners — wallets, phones, bags, and even cash are regularly turned in to police koban (neighborhood police boxes) or to station and store lost and found offices. The easy access to koban and a strong social norm of handing in what you find are often cited as reasons.

The Legal Framework

Japan's Lost Property Act (遺失物法, Ishitsubutsu Hō) was fully revised and the new version took effect in December 2007. Under the law, a finder who turns in lost property may claim a reward of 5–20% of the item's value if the owner is found. If no owner comes forward within, in principle, three months of the police notice (six months under the old law), the finder may acquire ownership — although some items, such as mobile phones and cards containing personal information, cannot be claimed by the finder.

Fun Facts

• A mystery still unsolved: The owner of the 100 million yen found in Ginza in 1980 has never been identified.
• Umbrellas: Umbrellas are among the items most often left behind in Japan, and many are never claimed by their owners.