Legalities
We can assist you to be married officially and legally in Japan. Please consult us about the details. There are some official documents and a set process that is necessary and may require a certain amount of time for you to be in Japan before your wedding. On the other hand, if you want a simply ceremonial wedding, there are no legal requirements.
Here is the information from the US Embassy:
If you wish to marry in Japan, you must do so according to Japanese law. Marriage in Japan consists of registering marriage at a Japanese municipal government office.
Only this registration constitutes a legal marriage in Japan. Ceremonies performed by religious or fraternal bodies in Japan are not legal marriages. Consular officers cannot perform marriages.
Who Can Get Married in Japan?
Article 731 to 737 of the Japanese Civil Code stipulates the following requirements:
- The male partner must be 18 years of age or older and the female partner must be 16 years of age or older.
- A person who is under 20 years of age cannot get married in Japan without a parent’s approval.
- A woman cannot get married within six months of the dissolution of her previous marriage. According to Japanese law, this is to avoid confusion as to the identification of a child’s father if a birth occurs close in time to the end of the marriage.
- Most people related by blood, by adoption or through other marriages cannot get married in Japan.
In addition, for Americans, you must be able to legally marry in your home state; if the legal age of marriage at home is 18, you cannot marry earlier than that in Japan.
For detailed information, please contact a Japanese municipal government office for the area where you are residing or visiting.
For countries other than the United States, please contact us directly so that we may advise you of the best resources.
Please note that we are not lawyers nor licensed to provide legal advise. We will provide you with contacts to the correct authorities to make sure that your marriage is legal in your home country or state if you so desire.
