That&#x27;s still the same issue, people confounding estate and family members, and it gets written that way because it elicits emotional response, not necessarily because it were true.<p>It looks like in principle it is the same as the English Common Law or the Napoleonic or Germanic law:<p>&quot;[T]here are two ways for successors to consent how to inherit: simple consent (tanjun-syonin) and limited consent (gentei-syonin). Simple consent is to accept the whole inheritance, including debts and assets. Limited consent is to accept debts with a limitation up to the value of the assets.&quot;<p>-- <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;japan.angloinfo.com&#x2F;money&#x2F;pensions-wills&#x2F;inheritance-law&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;japan.angloinfo.com&#x2F;money&#x2F;pensions-wills&#x2F;inheritance-...</a><p>In fact I doubt there is a legal system in existence that doesn&#x27;t follow this principle. It would be ripe for abuse, as everybody would be getting loans secured on the wealth of their rich relatives.