Translation Certification at the Embassy of Italy in Tokyo: Italian Translation of the Koseki, Apostille and Our Service

To use a Japanese family register (koseki) or certificate of acceptance of a marriage notification for a procedure in Italy, you attach an Italian translation to the original bearing an apostille from Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). The accuracy of that Italian translation is certified by the consular section of the Embassy of Italy in Tokyo (or the Consulate General in Osaka for those in its jurisdiction). Because Japan has no legal system of "sworn translators", Italy has set up a system in which its embassy and consulate certify translations (certificazione di conformità della traduzione). This page explains the steps, required documents, fees and points to note for completing the koseki and other documents up to the embassy's translation certification for registering a marriage or birth in Italy (transcription into the Italian civil register) and for citizenship applications.

This page is based on the Embassy of Italy in Tokyo's pages "Traduzione e legalizzazione documenti", "Trascrizione atti di matrimonio", "Trascrizione degli atti di nascita" and "Acquisto della cittadinanza italiana per matrimonio", its consular fee table (1 October–31 December 2026), the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the amended Italian Citizenship Act (Law No. 91 of 1992), judgments and orders of the Italian Constitutional Court, and MOFA's application guide, as of 16 October 2026.

In short: apostille → Italian translation → embassy translation certification

The embassy's guidance specifies the order "obtain the apostille first, then translate the document". Please follow this order.

What is the embassy's translation certification?

Because Japan has no legal system of sworn translators, the Embassy of Italy in Tokyo states that the embassy and consulate certify the accuracy of Italian translations of documents issued by Japanese public authorities. This covers documents issued by Japanese public authorities and used for purposes such as transcription into the Italian civil register. However, the embassy also accepts translations of Japanese school graduation certificates and similar documents (with an apostille or certificate of official seal) used to apply for a declaration of value (dichiarazione di valore).

The fee is the amount for "certification of translation (Italian translation, per page)" in the consular fee table, converted from the euro amount (EUR 13) at the quarterly exchange rate. Payment is in cash (yen) only.

Japanese documents required for each purpose

Transcription of a marriage (Japanese–Italian couples who married in Japan)

If you married by filing a marriage notification at a Japanese municipal office, this procedure registers the marriage with the comune (municipality) where the Italian spouse lives. The Japanese documents required by the embassy are:

• Certificate of acceptance of the marriage notification (with apostille) and its Italian translation
• Koseki (with apostille) and its Italian translation (according to the embassy, required "if one of the spouses' parents is a Japanese national")
• Application form

Documents must be submitted as originals; copies are not accepted, and originals are not returned. The embassy states explicitly that translations containing errors are not accepted. The transcription page does not say whether the embassy's translation certification is required, but because the translation certification page gives transcription documents as an example, it is safest to ask the embassy in advance whether to submit certified translations. The Italian spouse completes and signs the application form. Documents are submitted by Letter Pack mail or in person at the counter with an appointment booked through Prenot@mi.

Transcription of a birth (registering a child born in Japan in Italy)

If a child with an Italian parent is born in Japan, this procedure registers the birth in Italy. The Japanese documents are as follows (an application form, a surname application form, copies of both parents' passports and other documents are also required):

• Certificate of acceptance of the birth notification (with apostille) and its Italian translation
• Koseki (if one parent is Japanese; with apostille) and its Italian translation
• Certificate of acknowledgment or prenatal acknowledgment (if the parents are not married and the father has acknowledged the child)

For the time being, the embassy asks that birth documents not be mailed but brought to the counter with an appointment booked through Prenot@mi. If none of the following applies—one parent or grandparent holds only Italian citizenship, the Italian parent lived in Italy continuously for 2 years or more, or the child has no other citizenship—the child does not automatically become an Italian citizen, and a parent (legal representative) must sign a declaration of acquisition of citizenship in front of an embassy official on the appointment date. The declaration has a deadline, so check with the embassy early.

Acquiring citizenship by marriage (foreign spouses living in Japan)

This is the procedure for a person married to an Italian citizen to apply for Italian citizenship (Citizenship Act, Article 5). Applications are made through the Italian Ministry of the Interior's online portal.

According to the embassy, translations of civil status documents and criminal record certificates are subject to translation certification (EUR 13 per page). Japanese criminal record certificates are issued in a sealed envelope, so follow the receiving authority's instructions on when to open it (see Criminal record certificate).

Citizenship by descent (greatly restricted by the 2025 amendment)

This is the procedure for confirming Italian citizenship on the basis of Italian ancestry. The emergency decree-law (No. 36 of 2025) that took effect on 28 March 2025 added Article 3-bis to the Citizenship Act, which was amended by the conversion law of May 2025 (Law No. 74 of 2025, effective 24 May). People born abroad who hold another citizenship are, as a rule, deemed never to have acquired Italian citizenship. The exceptions include:

• You had submitted a complete application, been notified of an appointment date for the application, or started court proceedings by 27 March 2025 (23:59 Rome time)
• A parent or grandparent holds only Italian citizenship (or held only Italian citizenship at the time of death)
• A parent (including an adoptive parent) lived in Italy continuously for 2 years or more after acquiring Italian citizenship and before the child's birth

The status of court cases is as follows:

• In a judgment published on 30 April 2026 (No. 63 of 2026), the Italian Constitutional Court rejected the constitutional challenges raised by the Court of Turin as unfounded or inadmissible
• In an order published on 23 July 2026 (No. 147), in response to a referral from another court, it referred to the Court of Justice of the European Union the question of whether the amendment is compatible with EU law, and suspended its examination pending the answer
• The amendment remains in force

Unless you fall within an exception, such as a parent or grandparent who holds (or held) only Italian citizenship, citizenship is in principle not recognized regardless of generation. Check whether you fall within an exception before collecting documents. The application fee at the embassy in Japan is EUR 600 (JPY 110,400 for October–December 2026).

Points to note for the embassy's translation certification

• Obtain the apostille at MOFA: the embassy states that it does not accept documents apostilled by a notary through the notary offices' one-stop service on the basis of the applicant's own declaration. Public documents such as the koseki and certificates of acceptance should be apostilled directly by MOFA
• Within 3 months of issue: MOFA can apostille originals issued within the last 3 months
• Translate everything: translate everything on the original exactly as written (check with the receiving authority whether the apostille itself must be translated). Spell names in Roman letters exactly as in the passport
• Jurisdiction: the embassy in Tokyo covers 18 prefectures in Hokkaido, Tohoku, Kanto, Koshinetsu and Shizuoka. The 29 prefectures from Toyama, Gifu and Aichi westwards are covered by the Consulate General of Italy in Osaka
• Time required: depends on the availability of embassy appointments. Consult us early, working backwards from your planned submission date

If you live abroad and are applying for citizenship by marriage at the Italian embassy or consulate in your country of residence, see Preparing Japanese documents for Italian citizenship by marriage. Academic documents such as graduation certificates are covered in Declaration of value (dichiarazione di valore) for Italy. For the apostille on the koseki itself, see Family register (koseki).

FAQ

Can I translate my koseki into Italian myself?

According to the embassy, you may translate it yourself or use a professional translator. However, translations containing errors are not accepted. If you are unsure about the spelling of names, dates or the translation of family relationships, a professional translator is the safer choice.

If a Japanese notary certifies the translation, is the embassy's certification unnecessary?

The embassy's guidance assumes a system in which the embassy and consulate certify Italian translations of Japanese public documents. It does not say that certification of the translation by a Japanese notary can be used instead, so our office recommends the embassy's translation certification. Another option is a sworn translation before a court in Italy, but check with the receiving authority whether it is acceptable.

Do I need to go to the embassy myself?

For translation certification, our office can book the appointment, apply at the counter and collect the documents on your behalf. If a declaration of acquisition of citizenship is needed for a birth transcription, a parent (legal representative) must attend on the appointment date and sign in front of an official.

I live in the jurisdiction of the Consulate General in Osaka. Can you help?

Our office handles translation certification at the embassy in Tokyo. For people in the Osaka consulate's jurisdiction, we can obtain the koseki, the apostille and the Italian translation, so please consult us.

Does the apostille also need to be translated?

The embassy asks that the document be translated after the apostille is obtained and that every part of the original be translated. Follow the receiving authority's instructions on whether to include the apostille in the translation.

Our service for translation certification at the Embassy of Italy in Tokyo

Our office (Royal Partners Administrative Scrivener Office; Taiga Sato, Certified Administrative Scrivener) handles obtaining the koseki and other documents, MOFA's apostille, Italian translation, booking, applying for and collecting the translation certification at the Embassy of Italy in Tokyo, and shipping to Italy or elsewhere abroad. Our office applies to the embassy in Tokyo on your behalf.

Embassy fees (JPY 2,400 per page for October–December 2026), shipping and other actual costs are charged separately. Our office obtains the certifications in Japan on your behalf and cannot guarantee that the receiving authority will accept the documents or that citizenship will be granted.

For the overall procedure see What is an apostille?, for fees see Fees, and for shipping see International shipping times and costs.

References (official sources)

• Embassy of Italy in Tokyo, "Traduzione e legalizzazione documenti"
• Embassy of Italy in Tokyo, "Elenco dei professionisti di riferimento" (list of translators)
• Embassy of Italy in Tokyo, "Trascrizione atti di matrimonio"
• Embassy of Italy in Tokyo, "Trascrizione degli atti di nascita e di riconoscimento di paternità"
• Embassy of Italy in Tokyo, "Acquisto della cittadinanza italiana per matrimonio"
• Embassy of Italy in Tokyo, consular fee table (1 October–31 December 2026)
• Embassy of Italy in Tokyo, "La rete consolare" (jurisdictions)
• Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, "Traduzione e legalizzazione documenti"
• Normattiva: amendment to the Italian Citizenship Act (Law No. 74 of 2025)
• Italian Constitutional Court, judgment No. 63 of 2026
• Italian Constitutional Court, order No. 147 of 2026
• MOFA, "Application guide 1: Documents that can be certified" (in Japanese)