Apostille for a Japanese Certificate of Legal Capacity to Marry (Certificate of No Impediment): Where to Obtain It and How to Certify It
If you are marrying a Japanese national and the authorities of the country where you will marry (your country or a third country) ask for "the Japanese partner's certificate of legal capacity to marry (certificate of no impediment) with an apostille", the Japanese partner obtains the certificate (kon'in yoken gubi shomeisho) from the Legal Affairs Bureau or the municipal office of their registered domicile, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (MOFA) attaches an apostille. If the receiving country is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, MOFA issues a certificate of official seal, followed by consular legalization at that country's embassy or consulate in Japan. Whether to obtain it from the Legal Affairs Bureau or the municipal office depends on what the receiving country requires; some countries do not accept certificates issued by municipal offices (Tokyo Legal Affairs Bureau). At the Legal Affairs Bureau, the Japanese partner must request it in person (not by mail or through an agent); some municipal offices also accept requests by mail. Japanese embassies and consulates abroad also issue it, but those certificates cannot receive MOFA's certificate of official seal or apostille. The steps differ if the translation is to be certified together (see "If a translation is needed").
Note: this is a different document from the "certificate of single status" (dokushin shomeisho) issued by municipal offices for marriage agencies.
The certificate of legal capacity to marry proves that a Japanese national marrying under a foreign country's law meets the conditions for marriage under Japanese law (being single, being of marriageable age, etc.). In English it is also called a Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage. Only Japanese nationals can obtain it; the foreign partner obtains the equivalent document from their own country. This page covers the three places that issue it, how to obtain it, the apostille procedure, translation, and our apostille service.
This page is based on guidance from the Tokyo and Osaka Legal Affairs Bureaus on requesting certificates of legal capacity to marry, Kita City (Tokyo)'s guidance on the certificate of legal capacity to marry and the certificate of single status, the Ministry of Justice's Q&A on international marriage and births abroad and its explanation of the amended Family Register Act, MOFA's "Certification at overseas missions", "Application guide" and "FAQ", and the Japan National Notaries Association, as of 29 September 2026.
In short: three places to obtain it; certificates issued in Japan can be certified by MOFA
| Issued by | How to request | Fee | MOFA apostille / certificate of official seal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal Affairs Bureau (main offices and some branches; in Tokyo, the main office and the Hachioji, Fuchu and Nishitama branches; in Osaka Prefecture, only the main Osaka Legal Affairs Bureau) | The Japanese national requests and collects it in person. No agents or mail. It may be issued the next day or later | Free (Osaka Legal Affairs Bureau) | Available |
| Municipal office of the registered domicile | The Japanese national requests it at the counter or by mail (Kita City example; varies by municipality) | Varies (JPY 300 per copy in Kita City) | Available |
| Japanese embassy or consulate abroad | Apply at the mission (required documents vary by mission) | About JPY 1,200 per copy (in local currency) | Not available (check what certification the local receiving authority requires) |
MOFA states that documents issued by national bodies (such as the Legal Affairs Bureau) and local governments (municipal offices) can receive both a certificate of official seal and an apostille (MOFA, "Application guide 1: Documents that can be certified"). Certificates issued by Japanese embassies and consulates abroad, on the other hand, are not listed as eligible for MOFA's certificate of official seal or apostille, and the Apostille Convention itself excludes documents executed by diplomatic or consular agents (Article 1). Some receiving authorities may require certification by the local foreign ministry or a translation into the local language. Check where the receiving authority wants the certificate to be issued (Legal Affairs Bureau, municipal office or overseas mission).
Send us the receiving authority's instructions as they are, and we will read the issuer, certification and translation requirements and tell you free of charge what procedure is needed and the approximate total cost. Please confirm the final choice of issuer with the receiving authority (free quote and inquiry form).
When the certificate is required
The Ministry of Justice explains that when a Japanese national marries under a foreign country's law, the foreign authorities may require the Japanese national's certificate of legal capacity to marry (Ministry of Justice Q&A on international marriage, Q4). A typical case is completing the marriage procedure in the partner's country first. Whether it is needed varies by country and office, so check with the office of the country or region where you will marry.
When a marriage is concluded under a foreign country's law, a certified copy of the marriage certificate (with a Japanese translation) must be submitted to a Japanese embassy or consulate or to the municipal office of the Japanese partner's registered domicile within three months of the marriage (same, Q4). If the marriage is first registered at a Japanese municipal office, the foreign partner submits their own country's certificate of legal capacity to marry with a Japanese translation and other documents (same, Q2). Since 1 March 2024, the Japanese partner generally no longer needs to attach a family register certificate (Ministry of Justice, amended Family Register Act). For a notification at a Japanese municipal office, the Japanese partner's certificate of legal capacity to marry is not normally required. Which country to complete the procedure in first also affects registration in both countries and residence procedures, so check with the municipal office, the Legal Affairs Bureau and the partner's embassy. We handle certification and translation of documents; we do not advise on the validity of marriages or the order of procedures.
Certificate of legal capacity to marry, certificate of single status and certificate of acceptance of the marriage notification
Some documents have similar names, so check which one the receiving authority wants.
| Document | What it proves | Main use |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of legal capacity to marry | That the Japanese national meets the conditions for marriage under Japanese law. The partner's name, nationality, date of birth, etc. are stated | When marrying a foreign national under a foreign country's law |
| Certificate of single status (municipal office) | That the person is not currently married | Joining marriage information services or marriage agencies. Kita City describes it as "a different certificate from the certificate of legal capacity to marry" |
| Certificate of acceptance of the marriage notification | That a marriage notification was accepted by a Japanese municipal office | May be requested after marrying in Japan first, when registering or proving the Japanese marriage in the partner's country (varies by country). See our guide to certificates of acceptance |
The Tokyo Legal Affairs Bureau writes the certificate of legal capacity to marry with "(certificate of single status)" in brackets, but the municipal "certificate of single status" is a separate document for marriage agencies. If you are asked for a "single status certificate" for use abroad, it may in fact mean the certificate of legal capacity to marry, so check with the receiving authority.
How to obtain it: Legal Affairs Bureau, municipal office or overseas mission
From the Legal Affairs Bureau
According to the Tokyo and Osaka Legal Affairs Bureaus:
- Only the Japanese national who intends to marry under a foreign country's law can request it
- The Japanese national must come in person to request and to collect it. No agents, no mail. It may be issued the next day or later (at the Osaka Legal Affairs Bureau, the day after the request or later), in which case two weekday visits are needed, one to request and one to collect (the Osaka counter is open Monday–Friday 9:00–17:00)
- It is issued only at main offices and some branches (in Tokyo, the main office and the Hachioji, Fuchu and Nishitama branches; in Osaka Prefecture, only the main Osaka Legal Affairs Bureau). In other areas, ask the competent Legal Affairs Bureau in advance which counter handles it
- What to bring: the request form (available at the counter), the requester's koseki tohon or shohon (as recent as possible) and photo ID. If the registered domicile is far away, since 1 March 2024 the Japanese national can request the koseki tohon at other municipal offices too (nationwide issue; photo ID required; not by mail or through an agent; shohon not available)
- The partner's name, sex, date of birth and nationality, and the place where the marriage will be celebrated, are written on the request form (if you are not sure how to write the place, ask the office). Mistakes cannot be corrected later; a new request is needed
- The partner's name is generally written in katakana. For nationals of countries that use Chinese characters, it can be written in kanji; simplified Chinese characters of Chinese nationals are written in the corresponding standard Japanese characters (Osaka Legal Affairs Bureau)
- No fee (Osaka Legal Affairs Bureau)
The Osaka Legal Affairs Bureau asks people with special circumstances, such as living abroad, to consult it. Whether exceptions to the in-person rule are allowed should be checked directly with the Legal Affairs Bureau.
From the municipal office of the registered domicile
According to Kita City (Tokyo), the Japanese national can request it at the counter or by mail, and the fee is JPY 300 per copy. The request form states the registered domicile and the partner's name (katakana or kanji), nationality, date of birth (Western calendar) and sex. For mail requests, send the request form, the fee (postal money order), a copy of ID and a stamped return envelope. Handling and fees vary by municipality, so check the guidance of the municipal office of the registered domicile.
Kita City also warns that some receiving countries require a certificate issued by the Legal Affairs Bureau or an embassy. Municipal offices that accept mail requests are convenient, but some countries require the Legal Affairs Bureau's certificate, so check where the receiving authority wants it issued before obtaining it. If requesting by mail from abroad, also ask the municipal office how to pay the fee and how it will be returned.
From a Japanese embassy or consulate abroad
The certificate can also be applied for at Japanese embassies and consulates abroad (ask each mission who can apply and what is required). The fee is about JPY 1,200 per copy (in local currency, cash), and the basic requirement is a koseki tohon (as recent as possible) (MOFA, "Certification at overseas missions"). Certificates issued by overseas missions cannot be certified by MOFA in Japan; check what certification and translation the local receiving authority requires. In some countries, a certificate obtained from the local Japanese embassy is used with a local translation and certification by the local foreign ministry. We do not accept requests only to translate certificates obtained at overseas missions.
Getting an apostille from MOFA
A certificate of legal capacity to marry issued by the Legal Affairs Bureau or a municipal office is a public document, so it is submitted to MOFA without going through a notary office.
- Apply at the counter in Tokyo or Osaka, or by mail. There is no fee, and documents are returned by mail only. If there are no problems, they are sent out three business days after receipt (for example, received on Monday, sent on Thursday afternoon)
- From 5 October 2026, counter applications at MOFA in Tokyo require an online reservation (the Osaka office does not)
- In principle, documents issued within the last three months
- Apostille if the receiving country is a Hague Convention country; otherwise a certificate of official seal followed by consular legalization at the embassy or consulate in Japan (list of Hague Apostille Convention countries)
(MOFA, "FAQ" and "Application guide")
An apostille certifies that the official seal on the certificate is genuine; it does not guarantee that the receiving authority will accept it.
If a translation is needed
Some receiving authorities require a translation into their language. Attaching a translation to a public document turns it into a private document (MOFA, "Application guide 4"). To have the translation certified together with the certificate, the translation and certificate are attached to a translator's declaration, which is certified by a notary and then apostilled (Japan National Notaries Association). At notary offices in eight prefectures including Tokyo (in Hokkaido, the Sapporo Legal Affairs Bureau area), everything from notarization to the apostille is obtained at once. For non-Convention countries, the same notary office arranges the certificate of official seal, followed by consular legalization at the embassy or consulate in Japan.
There are two main ways to attach a translation:
- An apostille from MOFA on the original certificate only, with the translation prepared separately after the apostille (for example, by a translator in the receiving country)
- Certifying the translation together through a translator's declaration at a notary office (in this case the apostille is attached to the notarization and does not directly certify the official seal on the certificate)
If the receiving authority requires "an apostille on the certificate itself", the first method applies, so check which one to use first. If the receiving authority specifies the translator's qualifications, such as a "certified" or "sworn" translation, our translation or a translation notarized in Japan may not be accepted. In that case, get an apostille on the original certificate and have the translation made by the designated translator as instructed. The notary fee for a declaration in English is JPY 12,500 per document (JPY 6,500 for certification + JPY 6,000 for a foreign-language document; Notary Fee Ordinance, Article 34(1) and (3); Japan National Notaries Association). For points by country, see our guides by country (in Japanese).
Our service: the Japanese partner obtains the certificate; we handle certification, translation and shipping
The Legal Affairs Bureau accepts requests and collection only from the Japanese national in person, and some municipal offices also require the person to request it (such as Kita City), so we do not obtain this certificate on your behalf. The Japanese partner obtains it, and we take the certificate and handle translation, certification at the notary office and MOFA, consular legalization at the embassy in Japan where needed, and shipping within Japan or abroad.
- Tell us by email or through the form the receiving country, where the certificate must be issued and any translation instructions. We will send you a free quote
- The Japanese partner obtains the certificate from the Legal Affairs Bureau or municipal office (check the partner's name, date of birth and nationality carefully against the passport before requesting; ask the Legal Affairs Bureau or municipal office how to fill in the request form)
- Once you accept the quote, pay in advance (credit card via Square, PayPal or bank transfer) and mail the original certificate to our office
- We arrange the translation and certification and send the documents to the address you specify, in Japan or abroad
| Service | Fee (per request) |
|---|---|
| Apostille service | JPY 17,600 (tax included) |
| Consular legalization service (certificate of official seal + embassy in Japan) | JPY 28,600 (tax included) |
| Two or more documents | JPY 3,300 (tax included) for each document from the second |
| Translation | From JPY 3,850 per A4 page (tax included) |
| PDF scan sent by email | JPY 990 (tax included) |
| Return within Japan (Letter Pack Light) | JPY 450 |
| International shipping (DHL, FedEx, EMS) | JPY 3,300 (tax included) + actual shipping cost |
Typical turnaround, counted from the day we have both your payment and the original certificate: without a translation, sent within 5–6 business days (excluding weekends and holidays); with a translation certified at a notary office, translation within 3 business days, then the apostille is obtained at the notary office and the documents are sent within 3 business days. Consular legalization adds the embassy's processing time (which varies by embassy; we will tell you when quoting). When the translation and certificate are certified together under one translator's declaration, they count as one document (no additional-document fee); the translation fee and notary fee are added to the apostille (or consular legalization) service fee. PDF scans, return within Japan and international shipping are not included in the basic fee. Actual costs such as notary and embassy fees are charged separately. See Fees for details. As administrative scriveners we have a legal duty of confidentiality (Administrative Scrivener Act, Article 12), and we use your documents and your and your partner's information only for the procedure (privacy policy). We obtain certifications in Japan on your behalf; we cannot guarantee that the receiving authority will accept the documents or that the marriage will be concluded.
FAQ
Can an administrative scrivener obtain the certificate for us?
We do not obtain it on your behalf. The Legal Affairs Bureau does not accept requests or collection by agents (Tokyo and Osaka Legal Affairs Bureaus). We take the certificate the Japanese partner has obtained and handle translation, certification and shipping.
Can you translate a certificate obtained at a Japanese embassy abroad?
We do not accept requests only to translate certificates obtained at overseas missions. Please consult the translator designated by the local receiving authority or a local translation company.
Can a family member go to the Legal Affairs Bureau instead?
No. At the Legal Affairs Bureau, the Japanese national must come in person to request and collect the certificate; it cannot be obtained through an agent or by mail (Tokyo and Osaka Legal Affairs Bureaus). Some municipal offices accept requests by mail (such as Kita City).
Should we get it from the municipal office or the Legal Affairs Bureau?
It depends on what the receiving country requires. Some countries do not accept certificates issued by municipal offices (Tokyo Legal Affairs Bureau), so check with the receiving authority or its embassy in Japan first. Either way, MOFA's apostille or certificate of official seal is available.
The partner's name was misspelled on the request.
Certificates from the Legal Affairs Bureau cannot be corrected later; a new request is needed (Tokyo and Osaka Legal Affairs Bureaus). Check the partner's name, date of birth and nationality against their passport before requesting.
When should we obtain it?
MOFA generally certifies documents issued within the last three months. The receiving authority may also set a time limit after issue, so obtain it working back from the submission date. For countries requiring consular legalization, translation, notarization, embassy procedures and international postage also take time.
Summary and how to request our service
- The certificate of legal capacity to marry can be obtained from the Legal Affairs Bureau (in person only; free according to the Osaka Legal Affairs Bureau), the municipal office of the registered domicile (mail requests possible) or a Japanese embassy or consulate abroad. Only the Japanese partner can obtain it
- Certificates from the Legal Affairs Bureau or municipal office can be apostilled or certified directly by MOFA. Certificates from overseas missions cannot be certified by MOFA
- Where it must be issued depends on the receiving country, so check before obtaining it
- To certify the translation together, go through a notary office with a translator's declaration
- The municipal "certificate of single status" is a different document for marriage agencies
Tell us the receiving country, the document requested and any translation instructions, and we will quote the procedure, total cost and timeline.
- Free quote and inquiry form: https://royal-ptns.com/certification/en/contact/
- Phone: +81-3-6303-1664 (weekdays 9:00–20:00 Japan time; weekends and holidays by appointment)
- Email: info@royal-ptns.com
- Fees: Fees
References (official sources)
- Tokyo Legal Affairs Bureau, requesting a certificate of legal capacity to marry (updated 26 May 2025, in Japanese) https://houmukyoku.moj.go.jp/tokyo/page000001_00904.html
- Osaka Legal Affairs Bureau, requesting a certificate of legal capacity to marry (updated 6 February 2025, in Japanese) https://houmukyoku.moj.go.jp/osaka/konninnyoukenngubi.html
- Kita City, Tokyo, certificate of legal capacity to marry (updated 2 December 2025, in Japanese) https://www.city.kita.lg.jp/living/registration/1001590/1001530/1001536/1001546.html
- Kita City, Tokyo, certificate of single status (updated 2 December 2025, in Japanese) https://www.city.kita.lg.jp/living/registration/1001590/1001530/1001536/1001544.html
- Ministry of Justice, family register Q&A on international marriage and births abroad (in Japanese) https://www.moj.go.jp/MINJI/minji15.html
- Ministry of Justice, Act partially amending the Family Register Act (effective 1 March 2024, in Japanese) https://www.moj.go.jp/MINJI/minji04_00082.html
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, "Certification at overseas missions" (updated 9 July 2026, in Japanese) https://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/toko/page22_000554.html
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, "Application guide 1: Documents that can be certified" (updated 18 September 2026, in Japanese) https://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/toko/page22_000549.html
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, "Application guide 2: Application flow" (updated 18 September 2026, in Japanese) https://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/toko/page22_000607.html
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, "Application guide 4: Checklist before applying" (in Japanese) https://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/toko/page22_000609.html
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, "FAQ" (updated 18 September 2026, in Japanese) https://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/toko/page22_000552.html
- HCCH, "Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents" (Article 1: documents executed by diplomatic or consular agents are excluded) https://www.hcch.net/en/instruments/conventions/full-text/?cid=41
- Japan National Notaries Association, "Fees for certification" (in Japanese) https://www.koshonin.gr.jp/notary/ow12/12-q7
- Japan National Notaries Association, on notarized registration certificates and family register certificates requested by foreign authorities (in Japanese) https://www.koshonin.gr.jp/notary/ow09_2/9_2_q02
The information on this page is as of 29 September 2026 (all sources viewed on that date).
