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Guide to Filing or Appealing VA Disability Claims From Japan

If you’re stationed in Japan or decided to stay here after service, you don’t have
to wait until you move back to the States to file or appeal your VA disability.

Veterans living in Okinawa and across Japan can file, win, and increase VA disability benefits from overseas. This guide will walk you through the process and ensure you have the strongest case presented to the VA.  

From initial filings to ensuring your Japanese and on-base medical records are complete and correct, to who handles overseas C&P exams the right way. We are here to help guide you through the process. 

Working with an accredited VA disability attorney here in Japan—rather than going it alone or using a “consultancy” can make a real difference.

Talk with an accredited VA disability attorney focused on veterans in Japan.
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About Us

Can I Really File a VA Disability Claim From Japan?

Yes. Living in Japan does not take away your right to VA disability compensation. Veterans in Okinawa, mainland Japan, or anywhere else overseas can still file new claims, request increases, and appeal VA decisions.
In practice, most veterans in Japan use one or more of these routes:
  • Online through VA.gov – Start and submit your disability claim from Japan, upload evidence, and track your status.
  • By mail – Send paper forms to the VA’s intake center in the United States if you prefer hard copies.
  • Through on-base support – Work with a VSO office on Camp Foster or other installations in Japan to get help filling out forms.
The basic process looks similar to filing from the States—but overseas logistics, Japanese medical records, and third-party C&P exams add extra complexity that veterans in CONUS don’t face.
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Process

How Veterans in Japan File VA Disability Claims
Step-by-Step

The mechanics of filing a VA disability claim from Japan are the same as anywhere else—but
the way you prepare and the strategy behind your claim matters more when you’re overseas.
Here’s a step-by-step roadmap built for veterans in Japan.

Step 1

Lock In Your Date With an Intent to File

Your first move is to protect your potential back pay. An Intent to File (ITF) tells VA
you plan to file a claim and generally gives you up to one year to submit your completed
application.

  • Starting a claim online usually creates an ITF automatically.
  • If you’re not ready to upload everything, an ITF buys you time while preserving that earlier date.
For veterans in Japan, this is critical. International moves, PCS orders, and long days can make it easy to “wait until later” and lose months—or years—of retroactive pay.
Not sure whether to start with an ITF or a full claim?
Ask an Attorney About My Effective Date

Step 2

Gather all Medical your Evidence both On-Base & out in Town. Japanese Medical Evidence

From Japan, your evidence might come from:
  • On-base military clinics or hospitals
  • Local Japanese civilian doctors and hospitals
  • Older stateside treatment and service treatment records
Many veterans assume “VA will get whatever it needs.” In reality:
  • Foreign records can be and should be requested by the VA however they are often incomplete or missing due to language barriers or simple confusion.
  • Japanese-language records often need clear summaries or translations.
  • Some provider letters are too vague to support the rating you deserve.
Stronger practice is to:
  • Ask Japanese providers for clear, detailed summaries of diagnoses, treatment dates, and how your condition limits work and daily life.
  • Obtain English-language reports where possible—or certified translations for key documents like surgical reports, imaging, and long-term specialist care
An accredited VA disability attorney can review your records and tell you what’s missing, what needs more explanation, and whether a supporting medical opinion would strengthen your claim before you file.

Step 3

File a Complete, Strategy-Driven Claim

A strong VA disability claim from Japan is more than just filling out a form. It’s a
strategy.

A strategy-driven claim typically includes:
  • A prioritized list of conditions you’re claiming now and those you may raise later
  • Medical records from the U.S., on-base care, and Japanese providers
  • Lay statements from you, your spouse, coworkers, or supervisors in Japan
  • Any relevant Disability Benefits Questionnaires (DBQs) or medical opinions

Many unaccredited “claim help” companies focus on volume—they sign as many veterans as
possible and push out generic paperwork. They rarely look at how today’s decisions affect
your rating and back pay over the next 5–10 years.

An accredited VA disability attorney in Japan looks at the bigger picture: your long-term rating goals, future appeals, and how each issue fits into a clear plan.

Step 4

Prepare for Third-Party C&P Exams in Japan

Most compensation & pension (C&P) exams are now done by third-party contractors, not
directly by VA. For veterans in Japan, that often means:

  • Exam notices coming from companies you don’t recognize
  • Appointments at specific clinics in Japan—sometimes on short notice
  • Examiners who may not fully understand your MOS, your duties, or how your condition affects life overseas

Going into a C&P exam “cold” is a common mistake.
With the right preparation, you can:

  • Understand what the examiner is evaluating
  • Describe your symptoms accurately—without minimizing or exaggerating
  • Know what to document and how to respond if the exam is rushed or inaccurate

Step 5

Track Your Claim and Respond From Japan

Once your claim is filed, you’ll need to stay on top of it. Living in Japan means:
  • Mail can take longer to arrive • Address changes (APO/FPO vs local Japanese address) can cause confusion
  • Time zones can make it harder to call VA during your workday
Using online tools, you can:
  • Check your ongoing claim status
  • Download VA letters and decision notices
  • Upload additional evidence when VA requests it
Many veterans appreciate having a professional look at the same file—watching for deadlines, strange letters, or missing development—so nothing falls through the cracks.
Stuck or Unsure About Your Japan-Based Claim? We’ll review where your claim stands and give you a straightforward assessment—what’s working, what’s missing, and what to fix first.
Get a Free VA Claim Checkup

Why Choose Us?

Top 5 Mistakes Veterans in Japan Make With VA Disability Claims

Veterans in Japan face a unique mix of distance, time zones, and paperwork. Here are the mistakes we see most often—and how to avoid them.

“I’ll file when I’m back home” is one of the most expensive sentences a veteran in Japan
can say. Delaying until you move can cost months or years of back pay.

Better: lock in an Intent to File and start building your claim while you’re still in
Japan.

VSOs on bases like Camp Foster are an excellent resource, but they are often:

  • Overworked and booked out
  • Limited in time for each veteran
  • Focused on getting forms
    submitted—not long-term appeals and back-pay strategy

VSOs and accredited attorneys can complement one another. For straightforward claims, a
VSO may be enough. For complex claims, denials, or appeals, adding an accredited VA
disability attorney gives you deeper legal strategy built around your specific goals.

In recent years, a wave of unaccredited companies has popped up offering “VA claim help”or “insider” strategies which can be helpful. 

However Consultants are like the LCpl underground:

  • No access to VBMS, the system all claims get processed through. Only those accredited by the VA have this access to VBMS. 
  • Charge upfront fees regardless of outcome.
  • No accountability if they give you bad advice or results. 

By contrast, an accredited VA disability attorney:

  • Access to VBMS, and can often correct issues in real time.  
  • Never any upfront costs, only gets paid if you win. 
  • Has a legal and ethical duty to act in your best interest

You shouldn’t have to choose between going it alone and handing your future over to a call
center.

Japanese medical records that are bare-bones or untranslated can hurt your claim. VA raters need to understand what your doctors actually diagnosed and how your condition affects daily life. Better practice:
  • Ask for clear English summaries from Japanese providers whenever possible
  • Use certified translations for key documents like surgery reports or imaging
  • Tie the medical story to your service history and current functional limits

VA appeal windows and response deadlines still apply when you live in Japan. Time zones
and mail delays don’t stop the clock.

Missing a deadline by a few days can mean losing an earlier effective date and a
significant amount of back pay. Having an attorney track deadlines and notices with you is
a quiet but important advantage.

Why Choose Us?

Why Work With an Accredited VA Disability Attorney in Japan?

What “Accredited” Actually Means

An accredited VA disability attorney has:
  • Completed the VA accreditation process
  • Agreed to rules about fees, ethics, and client protection
  • Training focused specifically on veterans’ benefits law
You’re not hiring someone who “does a little VA on the side”—you’re hiring someone who lives inside this system and understands how it treats overseas veterans.
How Pacific Valor Law Helps Veterans Filing From Japan
Pacific Valor Law is built around serving veterans in Japan and the Pacific. We:
  • Focus on VA disability claims, increases, and appeals for overseas veterans
  • Understand day-to-day life in places like Kadena, Camp Foster, Yokosuka, Misawa, and mainland cities
  • Help you avoid “good enough” and aim for the strongest, cleanest record you can present
Our role is to:
  • Listen to your story, symptoms, and goals
  • Map out a plan—what to file now, what to stage later, and how to protect your back pay
  • Execute the plan with you: drafting, evidence, exam prep, and appeals if needed
Talk With an Accredited VA Disability Attorney in Japan No pressure. No sales script. Just a straight assessment of your current file and your options—so you can decide what’s right for you.
Schedule My Free Japan Claim Evaluation

Testimonials

We are very happy for our
client’s feedback

“I spent 14 years at 50% after retirement. James Smith identified issues in my claim and got to work. I had a step-by-step strategy, organized the evidence, coordinated supporting statements, and prepared me for the VA exams. My claim was fully developed and approved at 100% P&T—the process was efficient and transparent. Truly grateful!”

Jim Friedhoff

Okinawa, Japan

“As a surviving spouse living overseas, I found the DIC process daunting. James Smith conducted a review, established a precise checklist, assembled a complete, fully developed claim, and submitted it. Approval arrived within a week. I had complete confidence in Pacific Valor Law’s counsel throughout.”

Jim Wentling

virginia

I would like to thank the whole team that was responsible for completing a successful claim on my behalf. My family and I are forever grateful for your service on my claim. I pray that other veterans who need wise counsel and advocacy will contact you. May God bless each and everyone of you.

Thomas Sedgwick

Okinawa, Japan

FAQs

Ready to File or Fix Your VA Disability Claim From Japan?

Whether you’re in your BDD window on active duty, retired and living in Japan with an old low rating, or dealing with repeated denials, you don’t have to figure this out alone.

You also don’t have to hand money over to a consultant and hope and pray it gets filed correctly.

Pacific Valor Law combines the focus of a boutique VA disability firm with real-world experience serving veterans in Japan and the Pacific.

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Pacific Valor Law

Based in Okinawa, Japan — Serving U.S. veterans and military families worldwide

VA-accredited attorney | Licensed in New Jersey

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. This website is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.

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