# Translating birth and marriage certificates for Japanese offices

URL: https://japanhow.com/life/admin/certificate-translation-japan-foreigners/
Author: JapanHow editors
Updated: Oct 29, 2026

## Summary

Japanese offices want a Japanese translation of any foreign-language birth or marriage certificate. As of October 2026 the sources we read accept an accurate translation by anyone, including you, if it carries the translator's signature. Naturalization requires an A4 translation of the whole document with the translator's address, name and date. Osaka's Kita Ward also asks you to translate the issuer's seal and not write on the original. None of these pages required a certified translator or apostille.

## Key facts

- Immigration: Accurate + signed; anyone may translate
- Naturalization: Whole document, with translator address, name, date
- Ward office: Signed; date, name, address
- Original: Never write on it

Japanese offices want a **Japanese translation** of any foreign-language birth or marriage certificate. As of October 2026 the sources we read accept an accurate translation by **anyone, including you**, if the translator signs it. Naturalization asks for more: a whole-document A4 translation showing the translator's **address, name and date**. None of the pages we read required a certified translator or an apostille, but each office sets its own rules, so ask yours first.

## Who asks for a translation?

| Office | Rule we found | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Immigration (visa applications and extensions) | Attach a Japanese translation of foreign-language documents. Anyone may translate if it is accurate and carries the translator's signature. | ISA Q&A |
| Legal Affairs Bureau (naturalization) | A4 translation for each document with the translator's address, name and date. No partial translations. Anyone who translates accurately, including the applicant. | Tokyo Legal Affairs Bureau |
| Ward or city office (marriage report) | A Japanese translation signed by the translator. | Kobe City |
| Ward office (Osaka Kita Ward, Korean and US examples) | Translation date, translator name and address on each translation. Do not write on the original. | Osaka Kita Ward |

The ISA bases the rule on Article 62 of the Immigration Control Act enforcement regulations. For visa questions see the [spouse visa guide](/visa/visas/spouse-visa-japan/) and, for naturalization, [the naturalization process](/visa/naturalization/naturalization-japan-process/).

## What must the translation say?

Put these on every translation page, whichever office you use:

- The **translator's name and address**.
- The **translation date**.
- The **translator's signature** (Kobe and the ISA both ask for it).
- The **whole document**, including stamps, seals and the issuer's certification marks. Osaka's Kita Ward asks for the issuer's seal to be translated, and Tokyo Legal Affairs Bureau rejects partial translations for naturalization.

For naturalization, write names and birthplaces in katakana, hiragana or kanji, not in the Latin alphabet. That is the Tokyo bureau's rule.

**Don't write on the original:** Osaka's Kita Ward says to translate on a copy or blank paper, not on the original certificate. Keep the original intact, because the office will want to see it.

A short translator block, in Japanese, could read: 上記は原本の日本語訳であり、正確であることを証明します。翻訳日、翻訳者の住所・氏名・署名. It is not an official form, so use the office's own sample if it has one.

## What about marriage in Japan with a foreign partner?

Kobe City says that for a marriage filed in Japan the foreign partner generally needs proof of nationality (such as a passport) and a 婚姻要件具備証明書, and that a foreign-language certificate needs a signed Japanese translation. The certificate is a home-country document saying the person meets that country's marriage requirements. Kobe adds that **required certificates vary by country and some countries do not issue it**, so ask the ward office what to bring.

For a marriage in Japan, Kobe says the marriage takes effect on the day you file. For a marriage completed abroad and reported in Japan, Kobe gives **3 months** from the marriage date. Osaka's Kita Ward recommends a pre-review visit, because same-day acceptance isn't guaranteed. See also [international marriage in Japan](/life/family/international-marriage-japan/).

## Do you also need an apostille?

Not according to the immigration and ward pages we read, which ask for a translation and not an apostille. Osaka's Kita Ward recommends an apostille on a US notarized affidavit "where possible", and says the US Embassy in Tokyo stopped notarizing the single-status certificate from 1 September 2025. If a document is going from Japan to another country, MOFA doesn't translate, and each receiver may want your translation, a notarized translation or a named translator. See [apostille and document legalization](/life/admin/apostille-documents-japan-foreigners/).

This page is general information, not legal advice. For a visa or naturalization file, check with the immigration bureau, the Legal Affairs Bureau or an administrative scrivener (行政書士).

## Questions people ask

### Can I translate my own marriage certificate for Japanese offices?

For immigration and naturalization, yes. The Immigration Services Agency says anyone may translate if the translation is accurate and signed. Tokyo Legal Affairs Bureau says anyone who can translate accurately may, including the applicant. Individual ward offices may differ, so ask yours.

### What must a translation include?

At least the translator's name, address and the translation date, plus a signature. Naturalization requires an A4 page for each document, and Osaka's Kita Ward asks you to translate the issuer's certification seal too.

### Do I need an apostille on my home-country certificate?

The immigration and ward pages we read ask for a translation and don't mention an apostille. Osaka's Kita Ward only recommends one on a US notarized affidavit where possible. Ask the specific office.

### What is a 婚姻要件具備証明書?

It is a certificate from the foreign partner's home-country authority that they meet that country's marriage requirements. Kobe City lists it for marriages in Japan and says some countries do not issue it, so ask the ward office what to bring.

### Can I translate part of a certificate?

Not for naturalization. Tokyo Legal Affairs Bureau does not accept partial translations. For other offices, translate the whole document, including seals and stamps, to be safe.

## Sources

- [出入国審査・在留審査Q&A (Q24)](https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/immigration/faq/kanri_qa.html), Immigration Services Agency (出入国在留管理庁) (accessed Oct 29, 2026)
- [帰化許可申請書に添付する書類（その他の国籍・地域の方）](https://houmukyoku.moj.go.jp/tokyo/page000001_00891.html), Tokyo Legal Affairs Bureau (東京法務局) (accessed Oct 29, 2026)
- [外国人と婚姻する場合の手続き](https://faq.city.kobe.lg.jp/faq/show/113?site_domain=default), Kobe City (神戸市) (accessed Oct 29, 2026)
- [韓国人と婚姻される方へ](https://www.city.osaka.lg.jp/kita/page/0000602307.html), Osaka City, Kita Ward (大阪市北区) (accessed Oct 29, 2026)
- [アメリカ人と婚姻される方へ](https://www.city.osaka.lg.jp/kita/page/0000602399.html), Osaka City, Kita Ward (大阪市北区) (accessed Oct 29, 2026)
- [婚姻要件具備証明書について](https://houmukyoku.moj.go.jp/osaka/konninnyoukenngubi.html), Osaka Legal Affairs Bureau (大阪法務局) (accessed Oct 29, 2026)
- [よくあるご質問](https://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/toko/page22_000552.html), Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (外務省) (accessed Oct 29, 2026)