One a word – Yes. Foreigners can get married in Japan, though proof affirming that they are legally free to marry from their country is required.
And for the sake of clarity – I am referring to biologically male and female couples.
The world is diverse and there are different types of partnerships and couples. And below are the types of marriages that involve non-Japanese and can be registered in Japan at present:
- 1 Japanese partner and 1 Non-Japanese partner – Yes
- 2 Non-Japanese partners – Yes
- Same-sex partners – Not presently
- LGBTQ partners – Not presently
What is the process like?
It usually starts out with both partners getting all the documents together. And once that is done, a trip down to the Municipal Ward/City Office is the next step.
At the Ward/City Office, a counter staff member will check and make sure that all the necessary documents are there, and will point out if anything like translations etc are missing.
If they are satisfied with all the documents, they will go ahead and accept the application, and the couple is considered legally married from that point on.
But one thing to note is that Japan does not issue Marriage Certificates, so if proof of the marriage is needed, either for a Spousal visa application, or so it can be registered back home, you can ask for a Certificate of Marriage application Acceptance (婚姻届受理証明書).
What documents* are needed
- Marriage application form (婚姻届)
- Family Register document (戸籍謄本) if one partner is Japanese
- Passport
- Resident card
- Affidavit of Competency to Marry
- Proof of Divorce (if applicable)
The exact list of documents should be obtained from your ward or city office.
*This is not an exhaustive list
Pro Tip
In recent years, many documents have become easier to obtain as they can be downloaded from the Ward/City Office website and printed out.
Search using these keywords 〇〇市 婚姻届 ダウンロード.
What if you need to get your documents translated?
All submitted documents have to either be in Japanese, or have a Japanese translation attached. And while professionally done translations are ideal, the ward or city office may accept translations done by a Japanese speaker, so it’s best to check and see what they will accept before spending a lot of money on translations.
What if you need to get your documents notarized/witnessed?
This can be done at a number of places, but the two below are usually the most convenient.
- Your country’s Embassy
- Notary Public (You can do an internet search in English)
Pro Tip
Getting a document witnessed/notarized at a Notary Public can be very costly. It can easily cost over ¥10,000 per document. But the Embassy can do this for much less, so if you have many documents that need to be witnessed/notarized, it would be worth making a trip down to your Embassy.
Where can one get married
To legally register a marriage, the Marriage application form must be submitted at the nearest Municipal ward or city office.
In 2020 and 2021, there was talk about allowing people to register their marriages online, but as of this moment, it does not seem like this option is available yet.
The wedding ceremony and party is a separate matter, and is the same as many other countries. The party can be held at a hotel, cafe, beach or even overseas. But ceremonies performed by religious bodies are not legal marriages in Japan.
How much does it cost?
For the Registration at the Municipal Ward or City Office, a few hundred yen.
And for a wedding party in a hotel, at least a couple of million yen.
What is the minimum age one can get married?
Up until the end of March 2022, the male partner must be at least 18 years old, and the female partner must be at least 16 years old.
And from April 2022 onwards, any Japanese citizen will be able to get married without parental consent from the age of 18.
Does the Status of Residence change automatically?
No, if you are currently under a different visa type, you will need to submit an Application for Change of Status (Spouse of a Japanese National).
There are quite a number of documents and things that need to be put together for this so I would suggest giving yourself enough time to get everything in order.
But the next time that visa needs to be renewed, it will be a lot less stressful.
Important point to note about Pregnancy
Currently, Japan has a rule that presumes that a baby born within 300 days of the mother’s divorce is the previous husband’s child. But a government panel has recommended ending this very much outdated practice.
This is a Nikkei Asia article on this topic.
Change of Name after marriage
In legal marriages between two Japanese partners, one partner has to change their last name. And while there is no law that states that this must be the female partner, this is the most common way it is done.
This law however, does not cover marriages where at least one partner is non-Japanese. So for example, if the husband is Japanese, and the wife is non-Japanese, they can both keep their last names.
If the non-Japanese partner wishes to change his/her name, they would need to contact their Home Consulate or Embassy for information on how to do this, as each country has different laws.
Same-sex partnerships and marriages
As of 1 March 2022, some municipalities and prefectures in Japan have established a Partnership Oath System (パートナーシップ宣誓制度), which provides same-sex couples with some benefits. But this system is not legally binding so organizations are not legally bound to honour the Special Certificate that is issued to identify partnerships – meaning, partners do not have the same legal rights as those that are considered to be married under Japanese law. Wikipedia has more information on this topic here.
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