Apostille for a Japanese Company Registration Certificate (Certificate of Registered Matters): How to Obtain It, English Translation and Notarization
If an overseas business partner, bank or company registry asks you for "the company's registration certificate (certificate of registered matters) with an apostille", the basic route is to obtain a certificate of all historical matters (rireki jiko zenbu shomeisho, commonly called kaisha tohon) from the Legal Affairs Bureau and have the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (MOFA) attach an apostille. The certificate is a public document issued by the Legal Affairs Bureau, so MOFA can certify it directly without going through a notary office. MOFA charges no fee, and if there are no problems the document is sent out by mail three business days after receipt. MOFA generally accepts only originals issued within the last three months, and printouts from the online Registration Information Service cannot be certified. If you want an English or other translation attached and certified together with the certificate, a translator's declaration is prepared and certified at a notary office. For articles of incorporation and minutes of shareholders' or board meetings, see our guide to articles of incorporation and minutes.
This page covers how to obtain the certificate, how to get an apostille from MOFA, how to have a translation notarized, points by receiving country, and our service fees and turnaround.
This page is based on the Legal Affairs Bureau's FAQ on commercial and corporate registration (updated 30 March 2026), the Ministry of Justice's registration fees (from 1 April 2025), MOFA's "Application guide" and "FAQ" (updated 18 September 2026) and the Japan National Notaries Association, as of 29 September 2026.
In short: apostille directly from MOFA; via a notary office if a translation is attached
| Case | Procedure | Our typical turnaround |
|---|---|---|
| No translation (submit the Japanese certificate as it is) | Obtain the certificate of all historical matters from the Legal Affairs Bureau → apostille from MOFA | Sent within 5–6 business days (excluding weekends and holidays) |
| Translation attached and certified together | Obtain the certificate → translation → translator's declaration with the translation and certificate attached, certified by a notary → certification of the notary's seal by the Legal Affairs Bureau → apostille from MOFA (all at once at notary offices in eight prefectures including Tokyo; in Hokkaido, only the Sapporo Legal Affairs Bureau area) | Translation within 3 business days (may take a few more days if the certificate has 5 or more pages), then the apostille is obtained at the notary office and the document is sent within 3 business days |
| Receiving country is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention | Instead of the apostille above, a certificate of official seal from MOFA → consular legalization at that country's embassy or consulate in Japan | Varies by embassy; on quotation |
Our turnaround is counted from the day we have both your payment and the original certificate (if we obtain the certificate, from the day it arrives from the Legal Affairs Bureau). Shipping abroad takes additional days. Even for Convention countries, the documents and form of certification required may differ by receiving authority, so check its instructions.
MOFA lists registration certificates as an example of documents issued by "national and other public bodies" and states that both a certificate of official seal and an apostille are available (MOFA, "Application guide 1: Documents that can be certified"). Check whether the receiving country is a party in the list of Hague Apostille Convention countries.
Send us the instructions or email you received from the receiving authority as they are, and we will tell you free of charge which procedure is needed and the total cost (free quote and inquiry form).
What the certificate of all historical matters (kaisha tohon) is
The certificate of all historical matters is a type of certificate of registered matters that proves the company's trade name, head office, purposes, officers and other items registered with the Legal Affairs Bureau. In Japanese it is commonly called kaisha tohon or tokibo tohon, and in English it is often translated as "certificate of registered matters" (see also our Japanese–English dictionary of document names). It may be required for setting up a subsidiary or branch abroad, opening a bank account, vendor registration, tenders, and visa applications for expatriate staff.
There are four types of certificate of registered matters (Legal Affairs Bureau):
| Type | Contents | Use for submissions abroad |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of historical matters (rireki jiko shomeisho) | Current matters plus matters deleted from 1 January of the year containing the date three years before the request date up to the request date | The most commonly requested "kaisha tohon" |
| Certificate of current matters (genzai jiko shomeisho) | Registered matters currently in effect | When past changes are not needed |
| Certificate of closed matters (heisa jiko shomeisho) | Matters recorded in closed registration records | When closed records are needed (for example, records before the head office moved to another jurisdiction) |
| Certificate of representative matters (daihyosha jiko shomeisho) | Matters currently in effect concerning the authority of the company's representative | When only the representative's capacity needs to be shown |
The history shown on a certificate of historical matters covers matters deleted on or after 1 January of the year containing the date three years before the request date. For example, a certificate requested in December 2026 shows matters deleted on or after 1 January 2023, but one requested in January 2027 covers only matters deleted on or after 1 January 2024, so matters deleted during 2023 (such as a former trade name or retired officers) no longer appear. If the receiving authority needs history that is not shown on the certificate of historical matters, ask the registry which certificate will cover it.
How to obtain it and fees
Anyone can obtain a certificate of registered matters by paying the fee (Commercial Registration Act, Article 10(1)). You can request it at any registry office in Japan, not only the one with jurisdiction over the company's head office (Legal Affairs Bureau).
| Method | Fee (per copy) |
|---|---|
| At a registry counter or by mail (paper request) | JPY 600 |
| Online request, received by mail | JPY 520 |
| Online request, collected at a registry counter | JPY 490 |
These fees apply from 1 April 2025 (Ministry of Justice, registration fees). If one copy exceeds 50 pages, JPY 100 is added for each additional 50 pages or part thereof. If the company's seal certificate is also requested, it costs JPY 500 per copy by paper request. Unlike the certificate of registered matters, which anyone can request, the company's seal certificate can be requested only by the company's representative or their agent (Legal Affairs Bureau).
Note that printouts from the online Registration Information Service (toki joho teikyo service) are not certificates. Even if the content is the same, they have no certification statement by the registrar, so MOFA cannot certify them. An original certificate issued by the Legal Affairs Bureau is needed for an apostille.
MOFA generally accepts documents issued within the last three months (MOFA, "Application guide 4: Checklist before applying"). The receiving authority may also set a time limit after issue, so obtain the certificate working back from your submission date.
Getting an apostille from MOFA (no translation)
If the Japanese certificate can be submitted as it is, apply to MOFA with the original certificate.
- 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 require one)
- Altered public documents, such as those with staple holes from removed staples or handwritten notes, are not accepted
- Use a separate application form for each receiving country. Applications for spare or archive copies are not accepted
(MOFA, "FAQ" and "Application guide")
Is there an English version of the company registration certificate? How to attach a translation, with sample terms
Certificates of registered matters issued by the Legal Affairs Bureau are in Japanese only; there is no English version. The Nagoya Legal Affairs Bureau also states that it does not translate certificates of registered matters into foreign languages. To submit one in English, a translation is attached to the Japanese certificate. How the translation is attached depends on what the receiving authority requires:
| Receiving authority's requirement | How to attach the translation |
|---|---|
| A translation simply needs to be attached | Submit the Japanese certificate (with an apostille if needed) with an English translation attached. You can prepare the translation yourself or ask a translation company or our office |
| Proof that the translation is accurate is required | Attach a translator's declaration, have it certified at a notary office and proceed to the Legal Affairs Bureau and MOFA certification (next section) |
| A translation by a certified translator in the receiving country is required | Get an apostille on the Japanese certificate and have the translation made by the translator the receiving authority designates |
Translate every item on the certificate, use the company's English name as in its articles of incorporation or its usual English name, and spell officers' names as in their passports. Commonly used English terms are shown below (there is no fixed official translation, so follow the receiving authority's instructions if it has any).
| Japanese | Example translation |
|---|---|
| 履歴事項全部証明書 | Certificate of All Historical Matters (also Certificate of Registered Matters) |
| 現在事項全部証明書 | Certificate of All Current Matters |
| 商号 | Trade Name |
| 本店 | Head Office |
| 会社成立の年月日 | Date of Incorporation |
| 目的 | Purposes |
| 資本金の額 | Amount of Stated Capital |
| 発行済株式の総数 | Total Number of Issued Shares |
| 役員に関する事項 | Matters Concerning Officers |
| 代表取締役／取締役／監査役 | Representative Director / Director / Company Auditor |
For English names of other documents, see our Japanese–English dictionary of document names.
Certifying a translation: via a translator's declaration at a notary office
Some receiving authorities require an English or local-language translation attached to the Japanese certificate. However, attaching a translation to a public document turns it into a private document (MOFA, "Application guide 4"), and MOFA can no longer certify it as it is.
Instead, a translator's declaration is prepared, stating that the translator is proficient in Japanese and the foreign language and has faithfully translated the attached public document; the translation and the certificate of all historical matters are attached, and the declaration is certified by a notary. The Japan National Notaries Association also explains that notaries can certify public documents such as certificates of registered matters this way. The Legal Affairs Bureau then certifies the notary's seal, and MOFA issues the apostille.
Notary offices in Hokkaido (Sapporo Legal Affairs Bureau area), Miyagi, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Shizuoka, Aichi, Osaka and Fukuoka offer a one-stop service in which the notarization, the Legal Affairs Bureau's certification of the notary's seal and MOFA's apostille are obtained at once (MOFA, "Application guide 2: Application flow"). The notary fee for certifying a document without a monetary amount, such as a declaration, is JPY 6,500 per document, plus JPY 6,000 if the declaration is in a foreign language (Notary Fee Ordinance, Article 34; Japan National Notaries Association). A declaration in English therefore costs JPY 12,500.
The form of the translation required differs by receiving authority, for example:
- A translation attached in Japan and notarized and apostilled together with the certificate
- An apostille on the certificate, with a translation attached without notarization
- An apostille on the certificate, with a translation made by a certified translator in the receiving country
Notarization adds the notary fee and extra days. On the other hand, if notarization is required and you submit without it, the documents may be returned, so check the receiving authority's instructions first. You can ask, for example: "Should the translation be notarized in Japan and included under the apostille, or is it acceptable to attach a separate translation to the apostilled original? Or does the translation need to be made by a certified translator in your country?" We translate into English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Italian and other languages (other languages on quotation).
Points by receiving country
| Receiving country | MOFA certification | Related guide |
|---|---|---|
| China (mainland) | Apostille (since 7 November 2023). Via a notary office if the translation is certified together | Company registration certificates for China (in Japanese) |
| Korea | Apostille. Via a notary office if the translation is certified together | Company registration certificates for Korea (in Japanese) |
| Vietnam | Apostille (since 11 September 2026). A notarized or certified Vietnamese translation is required (check with the receiving authority whether it should be translated and notarized in Vietnam or prepared in Japan) | Documents for Vietnam (in Japanese) |
| Thailand | Until 27 February 2027: certificate of official seal → legalization at the Royal Thai Embassy in Japan. Apostille expected from 28 February 2027 | Documents for Thailand (in Japanese) |
| Other Convention countries (United States, European countries, etc.) | Apostille | Guides by country (in Japanese) |
| Non-Convention countries | Certificate of official seal → legalization at the embassy or consulate in Japan | List of Hague Apostille Convention countries |
Our service: from obtaining the certificate to translation, apostille and shipping
Royal Partners Administrative Scrivener Office (Minato-ku, Tokyo) handles everything from obtaining the certificate of all historical matters by mail to translation, certification at the notary office and MOFA, and shipping abroad. Our clients include group companies of listed corporations, and we have prepared documents for submission to India, Cambodia, Canada, China, Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia, the United States and other countries.
- Send us by email or through the form the company name and head office address (or data of the certificate), the receiving country, the purpose and any instructions on translation. We will send you a free quote
- Once you accept the quote, pay the fee (credit card via Square, PayPal or bank transfer; if your internal rules require payment after delivery, please consult us)
- We obtain the certificate (you can also mail us an original you already have) and prepare the translation and declaration as needed
- We obtain the certification at the notary office and MOFA 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 |
| Obtaining the certificate of all historical matters by mail | JPY 990 per copy (tax included, including the Legal Affairs Bureau's fee) |
| 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 |
When the translation and the certificate are certified together under one translator's declaration, they count as one document (no additional-document fee), and the translation fee and notary fee are added to the apostille service fee. PDF scans, return within Japan and international shipping are not included in the basic fee and are added if you request them. Actual costs such as notary fees 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 company information only for the procedure. We obtain certifications in Japan on your behalf; we cannot guarantee that the receiving authority will accept the documents.
FAQ
Can an apostille be attached to a printout from the Registration Information Service?
No. A printout from the Registration Information Service has no certification statement by the registrar and is not a certificate. Use an original certificate of all historical matters issued by the Legal Affairs Bureau.
Which Legal Affairs Bureau should I get the certificate from?
Any registry office in Japan can issue certificates of registered matters for companies under the jurisdiction of other registry offices (Legal Affairs Bureau). You can also request it online and receive it by mail. We can obtain it by mail for you.
Is there an English version of the company registration certificate?
No. Certificates of registered matters issued by the Legal Affairs Bureau are in Japanese only. If you need to submit it in English, a translation is prepared and, depending on the receiving authority's instructions, notarized through a translator's declaration and apostilled.
How long can I use the certificate after obtaining it?
MOFA generally certifies documents issued within the last three months. The receiving authority may also set a time limit after issue, so obtain the certificate working back from your submission date. If you obtain a new certificate after the start of a new year, the range of past history shown on the certificate of historical matters changes. If you obtain a new one in January or later, also check that it shows the history for the period the receiving authority needs.
Japan has no official document with that name. If officers must be shown, one option is to submit the certificate of all historical matters (or certificate of current matters) with a translation, but which documents are accepted differs by receiving authority. Note that a certificate of registered matters shows officers and representatives only, not other authorized signatories. Send us the receiving authority's form or instructions, and we will suggest which documents to use.
I have been asked for a document proving the representative's capacity. Is the certificate of all historical matters enough?
If only the representative's authority needs to be shown, a certificate of representative matters may be enough. Check with the receiving authority which certificate is required. The company's seal certificate (certifying the representative's registered seal) may also be requested. How to obtain and certify the company's seal certificate is explained in our guide to certificates of residence and seal certificates.
Summary and how to request our service
- The certificate of all historical matters is a public document issued by the Legal Affairs Bureau, so MOFA can apostille it directly
- If a translation is to be certified together, a translator's declaration is notarized and then apostilled (one-stop at notary offices in Tokyo and some other areas)
- Printouts from the Registration Information Service are not certificates and cannot be certified
- MOFA generally certifies documents issued within the last three months
- For non-Convention countries, a certificate of official seal and legalization at the embassy in Japan are required
Tell us the company name, the receiving country, the purpose and any instructions on translation, 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, in Japanese)
- Nagoya Legal Affairs Bureau, "On translation of certificates of registered matters"
- Legal Affairs Bureau, FAQ on commercial and corporate registration (updated 30 March 2026) https://houmukyoku.moj.go.jp/homu/static/shougyou.html
- Ministry of Justice, "Registration fees" (from 1 April 2025) https://www.moj.go.jp/MINJI/TESURYO/
- Minji Homu Kyokai, "Registration Information Service" https://www1.touki.or.jp/
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, "Application guide 1: Documents that can be certified" (updated 18 September 2026) https://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/toko/page22_000549.html
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, "Application guide 2: Application flow" (updated 18 September 2026) https://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/toko/page22_000607.html
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, "Application guide 4: Checklist before applying" https://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/toko/page22_000609.html
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, "FAQ" (updated 18 September 2026) https://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/toko/page22_000552.html
- Japan National Notaries Association, on notarized registration certificates and family register certificates requested by foreign authorities https://www.koshonin.gr.jp/notary/ow09_2/9_2_q02
- Japan National Notaries Association, "Fees for certification" https://www.koshonin.gr.jp/notary/ow12/12-q7
The information on this page is as of 29 September 2026 (all sources viewed on that date).
