You need the right Japanese document for the next step
You don't want "a document service." You want the case closed. Here's where we come in.
"I'm applying for citizenship by descent."
Your application needs your grandparents' Japanese family register, going back generations, certified and translated. We trace it and obtain it.
Heritage & citizenship"I'm getting married overseas."
The registrar abroad wants your Japanese family register or a marriage-record certificate, certified, translated, and apostilled. We obtain and prepare all of it.
Marriage abroad"The office abroad rejected my documents."
Wrong certificate, missing apostille, uncertified translation. We obtain the correct originals and prepare them so they're accepted the first time.
Apostille & translation"I need to prove my Japanese education."
A new employer, university, or immigration office wants your graduation certificate and transcript from a Japanese school. We request them and have them certified.
Study & work"I was born or once lived in Japan."
You need your own birth, marriage, or residence records for a life event overseas, but the office only deals in Japanese, in person.
Personal records"I just don't have time to figure this out."
The instructions are in kanji, the office is closed in your time zone, and one mistake means starting over. Hand the whole thing to us.
Done for youCommon client scenarios
A citizenship applicant needs older koseki and joseki records for a family line, but does not know the honseki or which municipal office holds the register. We help narrow the record path and request the available registers.
A visa or employment deadline requires school records from Japan with certified translation. We confirm what the school can issue, request the records, and prepare the translation package for overseas use.
A registrar rejects a document because it lacks apostille or the translation is not certified. We obtain a fresh original where needed and prepare a submission-ready set aligned with the destination requirements.
A client is unsure whether a record exists. We clarify eligibility and likely issuing office before work begins, then quote the document request, translation, apostille, and courier as one clear package.
No surprises, start to finish
Pay only for what we obtain
If a record genuinely doesn't exist, we tell you and refund the fee for that document.
One flat quote, agreed upfront
Confirmed before we begin. Government fees and courier are passed through at cost, with no hidden charges.
Start with just the deposit
Begin with a 50% deposit; pay the balance only after you've reviewed copies of the obtained documents.
Everything in English
One point of contact, explained in plain English at every step: no kanji forms, no time-zone chasing.
These are records you're already entitled to
We simply get them for you, and where you need it, arrange certified translation and apostille.
Family Register & Removed Register
Koseki and Joseki: the core records for citizenship by descent, genealogy, and proving family relationships, including older handwritten registers.
Certificate of Residence (Juminhyo)
Current or past proof of your registered address in Japan, for banking, pensions, visas, and procedures overseas.
Diplomas & Academic Transcripts
Graduation and enrollment certificates and grade transcripts from Japanese schools and universities, for visas, jobs, and further study.
Tax & Income Certificates
Tax-payment and income certificates (nōzei / kazei shōmeisho), often required for visa sponsorship, loans, and residency applications abroad.
Birth & Marriage Records
Acceptance and items certificates for births and marriages registered in Japan, for weddings, family registration, and life events overseas.
Certified Translation & Apostille
The add-on that makes any of the above usable abroad: certified English translation plus a Ministry of Foreign Affairs apostille, accepted in all Hague Convention countries.
Three steps. We do the running around.
You shouldn't need a dozen emails and a Japanese phone number. Most cases need only a short briefing from you.
Tell us the goal
In plain English, tell us what you're trying to accomplish and where the document will be used. We confirm exactly which records you need and which you don't.
We obtain & prepare it
We liaise with the Japanese offices, collect the certified originals, translate them, and arrange the apostille on your behalf.
You receive it, ready to use
Digital copies for review, originals couriered to your door, correctly certified and accepted by the authority that asked for them.
One point of contact. One flat quote agreed upfront. No surprises in Japanese.
In our clients' words
"I wasn't sure which Japanese documents I needed, but they confirmed the exact checklist, handled the apostille, and everything arrived in time."
"Communication was clear, pricing was upfront, and I could review copies before final payment."
"I had already been rejected once. This time the document set was accepted without issue."
Reviews are from actual clients, published with their permission. Names are shortened to protect privacy.
From problem to delivery
Unsure which family registers were needed.
Mapped the required family lines, identified the issuing offices, and handled translation and apostille.
A document set accepted by the destination, couriered overseas.
The local registrar required originals, translation, and apostille.
Obtained the koseki, translated it, arranged the apostille, and shipped internationally — all in one package.
Delivered ready to submit locally.
Previously rejected for a document-format mismatch.
Confirmed the destination's standards and re-obtained the correct originals in the right certified form.
A resubmission-ready set that met the requirements.
A specialist, not a translation app
This isn't paperwork you want to "mostly" get right. It's worth handing to someone who does only this.
We work backwards from your goal
We start with what the receiving authority actually requires, then obtain exactly that. No wasted requests, no rejected submissions.
On the ground in Japan
We deal directly with city and ward offices, tax offices, schools, and universities across Japan, including offices that only accept in-person, Japanese-language requests.
Everything explained in English
You always know what's happening and why. No machine-translated confusion, no guessing at kanji forms.
We've seen the rejections before
Wrong document type, missing apostille, uncertified translation: we know what receiving authorities actually reject, and we prepare your case to avoid it the first time.
Who's handling your documents
Japan Document Service is operated by IGRS Inc., based in Wakayama City, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. We work directly with municipal offices, tax offices, and educational institutions nationwide on behalf of clients overseas.
We are not a law firm, judicial scrivener, or administrative scrivener office. We do not provide legal advice or file legal applications on your behalf. We obtain existing public records and arrange their certified translation and apostille, under a power of attorney you provide. More about us →
Published rates, confirmed before we begin
Document retrieval from ¥12,000, certified translation from ¥8,500/page, apostille handling ¥28,000. Every case is confirmed as a single flat quote before we begin, with no hidden fees.
A complete document set, ready for the next office
Before anything is shipped, you review copies so you know exactly what has been obtained and prepared.
Original record
Issued by the relevant municipal office, school, tax office, court, or other Japanese authority.
Certified translation
Prepared when required, with a signed translator certification statement for overseas submission.
Apostille or guidance
For Hague Convention countries we arrange the Japanese MOFA apostille; for other cases we explain the next step.
Tracked delivery
Originals and prepared documents are couriered to your overseas address with tracking.
Questions people ask before starting
I'm not sure exactly which document I need. Can you help? +
Yes. Most clients start without knowing the exact document name, only the goal (a visa, a wedding, a citizenship application, etc.). Tell us what you're trying to accomplish and where it will be used, and we'll confirm exactly which records are required.
How are you able to request my records for me? +
Under Japanese law, family registers and similar records can only be requested by the person themselves, their direct relatives, or someone holding a valid power of attorney (POA). Once we confirm your case, we send you a simple POA form to sign (no notarization required in most cases), which authorizes us to make the request on your behalf. We explain exactly what you're signing and why, in plain English.
Do I need to travel to Japan or visit a Japanese office? +
No. The entire process, from initial request to final delivery, is handled remotely. You communicate with us entirely in English, and originals are couriered to your address.
Can you provide certified translations and apostille? +
Yes. We offer certified translation and Ministry of Foreign Affairs apostille as part of the same engagement, so you receive a single document set ready for submission. Apostille is accepted in all Hague Convention countries (Italy, Australia, the US, most of Europe, and more).
How long does it take? +
Most single-document requests take 2–3 weeks from the time we receive your signed authorization, depending on the issuing office and whether translation or apostille is also required. Multi-generation family register traces for citizenship cases typically take 4–6 weeks. Expedited processing is available for an additional fee. Let us know your deadline when you contact us.
What does it cost? +
See our published pricing. Every case is confirmed as a single flat quote before we begin, based on exactly which documents and services you need, with no hidden fees.
What if the document doesn't exist or can't be located? +
If a requested record genuinely doesn't exist (for example, if it was never registered, or records were lost in specific historical circumstances), we'll tell you as soon as we confirm this with the issuing office, and refund the portion of your fee for that specific document. We only charge for documents we successfully obtain.
Which areas of Japan do you cover? +
We work with municipal and ward offices, tax offices, and schools nationwide. Koseki records, for example, are tied to your registered honseki (place of family registration) rather than your last address, and we handle requests regardless of which prefecture that's in.
Is my information kept private? +
Yes. Family registers and personal records are sensitive. Your information and documents are kept confidential and handled with care throughout the process. See our Privacy Policy for details.
Tell us what you need from Japan
Describe your situation below. We'll reply within 1 business day with exactly which documents are required, how long it takes, and a flat-fee quote, at no cost and no obligation.