Taking Depositions in Osaka

This information sheet provides a step-by-step guide to conducting depositions at the American Consulate General Osaka-Kobe.

Make a Reservation

Please call us first to check availability. We can be reached at +81-6-6315-5912 and are open weekdays 9:00–12:00 and 1:30–5:00 Japan time, excluding Japanese and American Holidays. Once you have confirmed that we have a deposition room (see below for a description) at a time that meets your needs, make your reservation by sending a fax to the Consulate at +81-6-6315-5914 or an e-mail to aok@state.gov. In your fax/e-mail, list the case name and your preferred dates.

Pay the $1,283 Reservation Fee

At the same time you send your fax, send a certified check or a money order for US$1,283 (address below) made payable to the American Consulate General Osaka-Kobe within three weeks from the date the tentative reservation was made. This is our initial reservation fee: it is not a deposit and is non-refundable, and your reservation is not final until we receive it.

Send the Court Order

At least six weeks before the start of your deposition, please send us a certified copy of the court order or commission that includes the names of everyone to be deposed. It should be worded “on or about” a date to allow for schedule changes and should be addressed to “any Consul or Vice Consul of the United States of American at Osaka-Kobe, Japan.” In addition, please include on a separate sheet of paper the full names of everyone else (attorneys, stenographers, videographers, etc.) who will participate in the deposition. If the court order and deposit are not received in our office at least six weeks before the start of your deposition, the deposition room will be released for other reservations.

Pay the Deposit

Along with the certified copy of the court order or commission, please include a full deposit of the required consular fees, which are $309 per day of deposition scheduled. The Consulate may also require an additional deposit and/or shipping fiscal data (such as a Federal Express number) if you decide to process your transcripts through the Consulate (see below).

Please make your certified check payable to the American Consulate General Osaka-Kobe. This sum is a deposit; after a final receipt is prepared, the excess will be refunded to you by the Consulate or any monies owed to us by you will be collected.

(NOTE: In calculating the final cost of the deposition, the Consulate must charge fees incurred for postage, shipping and any other expenses. If Consular certification of the deposition transcript is required, the Consulate will also charge the $415.00 deposition closing certificate fee. )

Obtain Japanese Deposition Visas

Attorneys need a special visa to conduct depositions in Japan. Before the Japanese authorities will instruct one of their Consulates abroad to issue these visas, they will confirm that we are ready to proceed with the deposition. The Consulate will only be able to so notify the Japanese authorities when all of the above requirements have been met. Special visas may also be required for deposition participants other than attorneys, such as stenographers and videographers. Contact the nearest Japanese Consulate for details.

Available Facilities

The Consulate has two deposition rooms available—a large room that accommodates about fifteen people and a small room that holds about eight people. Both are equipped with tables and chairs and wired for 100V, 60HZ electricity with U.S.-standard outlets - most equipment that works in the United States will work with this type of power. The Consulate does not provide computers, typewriters, or office supplies.

The Consulate does not provide interpreters, stenographers or other support staff, so attorneys must make arrangements for these services directly. While the Consulate cannot make specific recommendations for service providers, please refer to the link below for some local sources you may wish to contact. Note: the Consulate General assumes no responsibility for the professional ability or integrity of these service providers, and there is no significance to the order in which they are listed.

Consulate facilities and staff are not available for deposition-taking on Japanese and American holidays, weekends, during lunch hour, or after closing time. You should plan to use our facilities between 9 am and 12 noon and 1:30 pm to 5:00 pm.

The Consulate cannot schedule witnesses on your behalf.

All witnesses, stenographers, interpreters, videographers and anyone else who is to be sworn in must present picture identification, such as a passport or driver's license. Witnesses should also bring their business cards to show their relationship to the firm or organization on whose behalf they are testifying. Attorneys and all staff traveling from outside of Japan (such as stenographers) must bring their passports to the Consulate. We must verify that all parties have the proper visas before your deposition can commence.

Handling of Transcripts

After your deposition has concluded, there are two ways the transcripts may be processed. The simplest method is to have the transcripts prepared and distributed by your stenographer/court reporter among the interested parties, without further involvement by the Consulate. This is the simplest, quickest and least expensive option. A brief signed statement by all concerned parties agreeing to this method is all that is required by the Consulate.

Arranging for consular certification of the transcripts is considerably more time-consuming and complex. After the witnesses have been deposed, the stenographer transcribes the testimony and forwards the original transcript to the Consulate. Sending additional copies of the transcript to the witnesses as well is advisable since they can review it in advance and prepare an errata sheet as necessary, or make any necessary corrections on the copy and use it to make changes on the original transcript retained in our office. After the witnesses make any necessary corrections to the original transcript, they will then sign the transcript in the presence of a consular officer. Once all witnesses have signed their transcripts, a consular certification is prepared, and the deposition, along with any exhibits, is sent to the Clerk of the Court that requested the deposition. By stipulation/written agreement, the materials can also be sent to the attorneys' offices.

Since we cannot forward the final transcripts to you until all witnesses have signed, delays in receiving your documents can occur if a witness or witnesses are unable to return to our offices. While we will make every effort to process your transcripts quickly, please be advised that our other responsibilities, as well as emergency services, may delay processing. In addition, as we must wait until the final shipping of your documents before preparing a final accounting, billing will also be significantly delayed. This may result in delays in your processing a case to conclusion within your own offices. Finally, because the Consulate’s storage space is limited, we will return unfinished transcripts to you at your expense after eight weeks.

Contact Information and Shipping Address

The reservation fee, court order, deposit and any other materials you need to send to the Consulate should be addressed to:

Chief, American Citizen Services Unit
American Consulate General Osaka-Kobe
11-5 Nishitenma 2-chome, Kita-ku
Osaka 530-8543

The Consulate can accept either Federal Express or DHL shipments. Should you have any questions, please contact the American Citizen Services section at 81-6-6315-5912 or FAX us at 81-6-6315-5914.

Interpreters and Stenographers

DISCLAIMER: The American Consulate General Osaka-Kobe, Japan, assumes no responsibility or liability for the professional ability or reputation of, or the quality of services provided by, the following persons or firms. Names are listed alphabetically, and the order in which they appear has no other significance.

1. American Realtime Court Reporters (Japan)
Shisa X, Room 803
4-12-12 Nishi-Tenma
Kita-Ku, Osaka 530-0047
Japan phone: (81)(6) 4560-4049
U.S. phone: 1-888-433-3767
http://www.americanrealtime.com

American Realtime Court Reporters (United States)
1100 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Suite 950
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: 1-888-433-3767
http://www.americanrealtime.com

2. Christopher Field
108 Codman Rd., Lincoln, MA 01773
Tel: 617-905-6060
Email: cf@christopherfield.com
Website: http://www.christopherfield.com

3. Inter Osaka (Interpreter)
Inter G Bldg., 3-201 Toyosaki,
Kita-ku, Osaka 530-0017
Tel: (81)(6) 6372-3987
Fax: (81)(6) 6372-6164

4. Yasuko Kawakami (Interpreter)
Japan Office:
2-10-1 Takakuradai,
Suma-ku, Kobe 654-0081
Tel/Fax: (81)(78) 734-0515
Email: Yasuko@Deposition-Translator.com
Website: http://www.deposition-translator.com

Hawaii Office:
1650 Ala Moana Blvd. Suite 2205
Honolulu, Hawaii 96815
Tel: 808-955-5257
Fax: 808-942-8117
Email: Yasuko@Deposition-Translator.com
Website: http://www.deposition-translator.com

5. KYR Communications (Seth A. Reames)
1-31-18-406 Okayama,
Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-0033
Tel. and Fax: 81-3-3725-7467
kyr@zap.att.ne.jp

6. Lise & Partners, Inc. (Interpreter)
William Lise, President
Rm 405, 1-403-4 Kosugimachi
Nakahara-ku, Kawasaki 211-0063
Tel: (81) (44) 739-3026
Fax: (81) (44) 739-4881
Website: http://www.lise.jp

7. Merrill Corporation
3203, Lippo Centre One, 89 Queensway
Hong Kong
Tel: 852-2522-1998, Fax: 852-2522-1575
Email: hongkong@merrillcorp.com
Website: http://www.merrillcorp.com/mls

8. Nihon Convention Service, Inc. (Interpreter)
Keihanshin Fudosan Yodoyabashi Bldg. 4F
4-4-7 Imabashi, Chuo-ku, Osaka 541-0042
Tel: (81) (6) 6221-5930
Fax: (81) (6) 6221-5938

9. Gerald T. Peters, U.S. Patent Agent
JTT Translation Services, LLC (registered in NH USA)
Japanese liaison office:
23-21 Yayoigaoka Takatsuki Osaka 569-1021
Tel (within Japan): 080 4232 0566
Tel (via U.S.A.): +1 206 203 6374
Fax (via U.S.A.): +1 206 203 6376
Email: info@jtttranslation.com
Website: http://www.jtttranslation.com

10. Planet Depos, LLC (Japan)
1-1-4 Shibata Kita-ku
16F Hankyu Terminal Building
Kita-ku, Osaka 530-0012
Japan phone: (81)(6)4560-4049
U.S. phone: 1-888-433-3767
www.planetdepos.com

Planet Depos, LLC (United States)
1100 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Suite 950
Washington, DC 20036
U.S. phone: 1-888-433-3767
www.planetdepos.com

11. Simul International, Inc. Kansai Office (Interpreter)
Nissei Yodoyabashi Bldg. 4F
3-5-9 Kitahama, Chuo-ku, Osaka 541-0041
Tel: (81) (6) 6231-2441
Fax: (81) (6) 6231-2447

Video Recorders

Embassy of the United States Tokyo, Japan

U.S. Citizen Services

Taking Depositions in Osaka