English translations of Japanese court, family register and notarial documents, and Australian documents translated into Japanese.
Japanese civil status is recorded in the family register (戸籍), kept by the city, ward, town or village office of a person's registered domicile. Court matters go through summary courts, district courts (地方裁判所), family courts (家庭裁判所), high courts and the Supreme Court (最高裁判所).
Most Japanese divorces are by agreement and registered at a municipal office, with no court involved, while others pass through family court conciliation or a judgment. Each route produces different paperwork, and the translation keeps the document title exactly so the reader can see which one it is.
Dates are often given in the Japanese era system, such as 令和 (Reiwa), 平成 (Heisei) or 昭和 (Showa). We translate the era date and add the Western year in brackets so it can be read at a glance. Family registers record events in a compact, formulaic style with abbreviations, and older registers digitised from handwritten originals can contain older characters (旧字体). Names are written surname first in kanji, and their reading may not be shown on the document at all, so a copy of your passport helps the translator with romanisation.
Registered seals (実印) and official stamps are described where they appear, along with any notes of removal from the register (除籍).
We translate Australian documents into Japanese: marriage and divorce documents for reporting to a Japanese municipal office or consulate, powers of attorney, statutory declarations and company documents. Japanese offices often set their own format for translations, so check with the receiving office before you order.
A koseki transcript covers a single register, and a person who has married or moved their registered domicile may appear in more than one register. If you have been asked for a full history, you may need several transcripts, including older ones (除籍謄本 or 改製原戸籍). Upload each one; they are translated separately and quoted by page. Family court documents are often stapled behind a cover sheet from the court clerk, which should be scanned too, as it identifies the court and the case.
We translate what your documents say. We do not advise on their legal effect, and we cannot confirm whether a particular court or agency will accept them. Please check requirements with the receiving body or your lawyer.
We translate the era date as written and show the Western calendar year beside it, for example Heisei 15 (2003).
Yes. Family register transcripts are translated in full, including entries for every person listed and any removal notes.
Japanese documents rarely show how a name is read. Send your passport so the translator can take its spelling into account.
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