Translating birth and marriage certificates for Japanese offices

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?

The ISA bases the rule on Article 62 of the Immigration Control Act enforcement regulations. For visa questions see the spouse visa guide and, for naturalization, the naturalization 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.

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.

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.

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).