Japanese Birth Certificate with an Apostille: Koseki, Certificate of Acceptance or Certificate of Entries, and How to Obtain Them

October 30, 2026

Taiga Sato

Even if a foreign authority or embassy asks you to submit "a birth certificate with an apostille", Japan has no single official document called a birth certificate of the kind issued in Western countries. Instead, three documents are used in Japan: the family register certificate (koseki tohon), the certificate of acceptance of the birth notification (shussei todoke juri shomeisho) and the certificate of entries in the birth notification (kisai jiko shomeisho, or for recent notifications the todokesho-to joho naiyo shomeisho). All three are public documents issued by a municipal office or the Legal Affairs Bureau, so the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (MOFA) can apostille them directly. Which one to choose depends on whether the receiving authority wants only the fact of birth or also the time and place of birth and the doctor's certification. Based on information published by the Legal Affairs Bureau, municipal offices and MOFA, this page explains the differences between the three documents and how to obtain them, how hospital-issued English birth certificates are treated, what applies to foreign children born in Japan, and the steps for translation and apostille. For certificates of acceptance of marriage, divorce and death notifications, see our guide to certificates of acceptance.

This page is a general explanation as of 1 October 2026, based on the Legal Affairs Bureau's guidance on certificates of entries in family register notifications (updated 1 March 2024), guidance on certificates from Koto City, Shinjuku City and Osaka City, and MOFA's pages on the certificate of official seal and apostille (updated 18 September 2026). The type of document, the entries, the validity period and whether a translation is needed differ by country and institution, so always check the receiving authority's instructions.

In short: choose one of three documents according to what the receiving authority needs

In Japan, a birth is recorded in the koseki, and the birth notification itself (including the "certificate of birth" section completed by the doctor or midwife) is kept by the authorities. When a "birth certificate" is requested abroad, you therefore choose whichever of the following documents matches the requirement.

Japanese documents that can be used as a "birth certificate"
Document	Issued by / who can request it	What it shows / when it fits
Koseki tohon (certificate of all matters in the family register)	The municipal office of the registered domicile (since March 2024, the person, their spouse and lineal relatives can also request it at other municipal offices)	Date and place of birth, parents' names, relationship. The most common proof of birth for Japanese nationals
Certificate of acceptance of the birth notification	The municipal office where the birth was notified. The person who made the notification (or an authorized agent)	The fact that the birth notification was accepted. Used before the birth is entered in the koseki, or as proof of birth for foreign children, who have no koseki
Certificate of entries in the birth notification / certificate of notification information	The municipal office or Legal Affairs Bureau that keeps the notification. Only interested parties with a special reason	The content of the birth notification itself (including the time and place of birth, weight, etc. entered by the doctor or midwife). When the receiving authority wants a copy of the birth notification
English birth certificate issued by the hospital (doctor)	The hospital where the child was born	MOFA does not certify medical institutions' certificates of matters that municipal offices or the Legal Affairs Bureau can certify, so in principle the public documents above are used (see below)

If you are unsure, the quickest step is to ask the receiving authority whether "a family register (koseki) with an English translation" is acceptable. Many countries accept the koseki tohon as proof of birth for Japanese nationals. The certificate of acceptance or certificate of entries is used for foreign children without a koseki, or when the receiving authority specifies the content of the birth notification.

When the koseki is enough (Japanese nationals)

The koseki tohon shows the person's date and place of birth, date of notification, the person who notified, parents' names and relationship. Because it contains almost all the main items of a Western birth certificate, Japanese nationals asked for proof of birth when acquiring a foreign nationality, applying for a foreign passport, marrying a foreign national, or applying to schools or for visas abroad can often submit the koseki tohon with an English translation.

MOFA certifies originals issued within the last three months. Since 1 March 2024, the person, their spouse, parents, children and others can request the koseki tohon at the counter of municipal offices other than the one for the registered domicile (nationwide issue; not available by mail or through an agent). If you live abroad and cannot come to Japan, family in Japan or our office can request it by mail from the registered domicile with your power of attorney. See our guide to the family register (koseki), including our retrieval service for clients overseas.

Japanese nationals living abroad may be able to obtain a "certificate of birth" (a certificate issued by the mission showing the date and place of birth) from the Japanese embassy or consulate for their area. It is for submission to local authorities, for example when acquiring a foreign nationality or marrying a foreign national; the basic requirement is a koseki tohon (as recent as possible), and the fee is about JPY 1,200 per copy (in local currency, cash). This certificate is often enough for local authorities, so also check whether the receiving authority specifically requires a Japanese apostille.

How to obtain a certificate of acceptance of the birth notification

The certificate of acceptance is issued by the mayor and certifies that "this birth notification was accepted". It can be issued even before the birth is entered in the koseki, and for foreign children, who have no koseki, it is the main document officially showing that the child was born in Japan.

Certificate of acceptance of the birth notification (example: Koto City and Shinjuku City, Tokyo, as of October 2026)
Item	Details
Where to request it	Only the municipal office where the birth was notified (the place of notification), not the registered domicile or place of residence
Who can request it	The person who made the notification (usually the father or mother). An agent needs that person's power of attorney
Fee	JPY 350 per copy
Certificate on high-quality paper	JPY 1,400 per copy. However, Koto City offers it only for marriage, divorce, adoption, dissolution of adoption and acknowledgment notifications; birth notifications are not included. Check with each municipality
Information needed when requesting	The name and registered domicile (or nationality, for foreign nationals) of the person concerned, the type of notification, the date of notification, and the name and address of the person who will use it
Mail requests	Accepted by many municipalities. Enclose the request form, a copy of your ID, a postal money order and a return envelope

The certificate of acceptance shows only basic information, such as the type of notification, the date of notification and the person concerned. If the receiving authority requires specific items, such as "parents' names" or "time and place of birth", check in advance whether the certificate of acceptance is enough or a certificate of entries is needed.

How to obtain a certificate of entries in the birth notification

The certificate of entries certifies the content of the birth notification as submitted (including the certificate of birth section completed by the doctor or midwife). Because it shows the time and place of birth, weight and the doctor's name, it is used when a "copy of the birth notification" or "proof of birth certified by a doctor" is requested abroad. Since notifications were digitized under the amendment of the Family Register Act on 1 March 2024, where to request it and the name of the certificate depend on when the birth was notified.

Documents certifying the content of the birth notification (where to request depends on when it was notified)
When notified	Name of the certificate	Where to request it
On or before 29 February 2024	Certificate of entries in the notification (todokesho kisai jiko shomeisho)	The Legal Affairs Bureau with jurisdiction over the municipality of the registered domicile (for about one month after notification, the municipality of the registered domicile). The Legal Affairs Bureau keeps notifications for a set period (27 years at the Osaka Legal Affairs Bureau). Always call to check before requesting
On or after 1 March 2024	Certificate of notification information (todokesho-to joho naiyo shomeisho; created from the digitized notification data)	The municipal office where the birth was notified, or that of the registered domicile
Same (when the paper notification is needed)	Certificate of entries in the notification	The municipal office that accepted the notification (only while the paper notification is kept; five years in Osaka City)
Notifications concerning foreign nationals only	Certificate of entries in the notification	The municipal office where it was notified

Notifications contain highly confidential information and are in principle not disclosed; the certificate can be requested only by interested parties such as the person concerned, the person who notified or relatives, and only when there is a special reason. The Legal Affairs Bureau gives examples of special reasons such as claiming a survivor's pension or submission to a court, and the request must state the specific purpose and receiving authority. Whether submission to a foreign public authority counts as a special reason is decided case by case by the municipal office or Legal Affairs Bureau, so prepare the receiving authority's written instructions (such as its list of required documents) and consult them in advance. The fee is JPY 350 per copy (Shinjuku City, Koto City and Osaka City).

Can an English birth certificate issued by the hospital be used?

Some hospitals issue an English birth certificate for a fee. However, MOFA excludes from direct certification documents issued by medical institutions that certify "births, deaths and other matters that can be certified by municipal offices or the Legal Affairs Bureau". An English birth certificate from the hospital submitted to MOFA as it is will therefore not receive an apostille.

In principle, use public documents such as the municipal certificate of acceptance or certificate of entries. If the receiving authority insists on the hospital's certificate, it may be possible to certify it by the private-document route in which the doctor's signature is notarized at a notary office (notary office → Legal Affairs Bureau → MOFA). We can advise in such cases too (see our guide to private documents).

Proof of birth for foreign children born in Japan

When a child of two foreign parents is born in Japan, the birth notification is submitted to the Japanese municipal office, but no Japanese koseki is created. When registering the birth with your country's embassy or consulate or with authorities at home, the certificate of acceptance of the birth notification or the certificate of entries in the birth notification serves as the birth certificate. A certificate of residence may also be requested as proof of address.

For submission to authorities in your home country, an apostille is needed if the country is a Hague Convention country; otherwise, a certificate of official seal from MOFA and consular legalization at the embassy in Japan are needed. If you are only registering the birth with your embassy in Japan, no certification may be needed, so check the embassy's guidance first. If a translation into your home country's language is required, note that our office translates into English and Chinese.

Steps for apostille and translation

The koseki, certificate of acceptance and certificate of entries are all public documents, so without a translation they can receive an apostille (or a certificate of official seal for non-Convention countries) directly from MOFA. There is no fee, and for mail applications documents are normally sent out three business days after receipt. MOFA's requirements are three: issued within the last three months, the issuing body's name and an official seal.

Certification routes for documents proving birth
Receiving country / condition	Procedure
Convention country, no translation	Obtain the original from the municipal office or Legal Affairs Bureau → apostille from MOFA
Convention country, with translation	The original and translation are attached to a translator's declaration and certified at a notary office → the Legal Affairs Bureau director certifies the notary's seal → apostille from MOFA (notary offices in eight areas including Tokyo do this all at once as a one-stop service)
Non-Convention country	Certificate of official seal from MOFA → consular legalization at the embassy or consulate in Japan

Attaching a translation to a public document turns it into a private document, and submitting it to MOFA as it is will not get you an apostille. If a translation is needed, it goes through a notary office with a translator's declaration (notary fee JPY 12,500 for a declaration in a foreign language). The receiving authority may specify "a translation by a certified translator in our country", so check before ordering a translation. Check whether the receiving country is a party in the list of Hague Apostille Convention countries.

From 5 October 2026, counter applications at MOFA in Tokyo require an online reservation (mail applications and the Osaka office do not). MOFA does not accept mail applications from abroad, so people living abroad apply through an agent in Japan.

Our service: from obtaining the documents to translation, apostille and shipping abroad

Our office (Royal Partners Administrative Scrivener Office, Azabu-juban, Tokyo) handles apostilles and consular legalization for documents used as proof of birth for clients throughout Japan and abroad. As with the koseki, we can obtain the certificate of acceptance and the certificate of entries in the birth notification by mail from the municipal office with your power of attorney (the certificate of entries only where a special reason is recognized).

Fees (per request)
Service	Fee
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 a koseki, certificate of acceptance, etc. by mail (power of attorney required)	JPY 16,500 (tax included) + actual costs (municipal fee, postal money order fee, round-trip postage)
Translation (English, Chinese)	From JPY 3,850 per A4 page (tax included)
Notarization (when a translation is attached)	Actual notary fee (JPY 12,500 for a declaration in a foreign language)
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 (or, if we obtain the documents, the day they arrive): an apostille without translation is sent within 5–6 business days; with a translation, about 3 business days for the translation (depending on pages) plus 3 business days for the apostille at the notary office, about 5–6 business days in total. Certifying a hospital's English birth certificate as a private document is quoted after we check its content. See Fees for details.

FAQ

Where can I get a birth certificate in Japan?

Japan has no single official document called a birth certificate. For Japanese nationals, the koseki tohon is commonly used as proof of birth; for foreign children without a koseki, or when the content of the birth notification is needed, the municipal certificate of acceptance of the birth notification or certificate of entries in the birth notification (certificate of notification information) is used.

Should I submit the koseki or the certificate of acceptance?

The receiving authority's instructions come first. Without instructions, the koseki tohon (which shows the parents' names and place of birth) is convenient for Japanese nationals, and the certificate of acceptance is used for foreign children without a koseki. If the time of birth or the doctor's certification is required, the certificate of entries in the birth notification is needed.

Can anyone obtain the certificate of entries in the birth notification?

No. Only interested parties such as the person concerned, the person who notified or relatives can request it, and only when there is a special reason recognized by law. Whether submission to a foreign public authority is accepted is up to the authorities, so prepare the receiving authority's written instructions and consult them in advance.

Can an apostille be attached to the English birth certificate I got from the hospital?

MOFA does not directly certify medical institutions' certificates of births that municipal offices or the Legal Affairs Bureau can certify. In principle, use the certificate of acceptance or certificate of entries. If the receiving authority specifies the hospital's certificate, it may be possible to certify it by the private-document route through a notary office, so please consult us.

Can I use a certificate of acceptance issued some time ago?

MOFA in principle does not accept public documents more than three months after issue. The certificate of acceptance can be requested again at the place of notification, so obtain a new one.

I live abroad. Can you obtain my Japanese birth documents for me?

Yes. With your power of attorney, we request the koseki tohon, certificate of acceptance of the birth notification or certificate of entries in the birth notification by mail from the municipal office, obtain the apostille, and ship the documents abroad by DHL, FedEx or EMS. The certificate of entries is available only where a special reason is recognized.

Can you also translate them into English?

We translate into English and Chinese. The translation is attached to a translator's declaration, certified at a notary office and apostilled. If the receiving authority requires a translation by a certified translator in its country, we obtain the apostille on the original only.

Summary and how to request our service

Japan has no single official "birth certificate". Choose from the koseki tohon, the certificate of acceptance of the birth notification and the certificate of entries in the birth notification (certificate of notification information) according to the receiving authority's requirements
For Japanese nationals, the koseki tohon is common. For foreign children without a koseki, the certificate of acceptance; if the time of birth or doctor's certification is needed, the certificate of entries
The certificate of acceptance is requested at the place of notification by the person who notified (or an agent). The certificate of entries is available only to interested parties with a special reason. For notifications on or after March 2024, it is the certificate of notification information
All are public documents, so without a translation MOFA apostilles them directly (originals issued within three months). With a translation, they go through a notary office with a translator's declaration
MOFA cannot directly certify a hospital's English birth certificate. If the receiving authority specifies it, consult us about the private-document route

Tell us the receiving country and purpose, the name of the document requested and whether a translation is needed, and we will quote the documents needed, total cost and timeline.