Japanese Corporate Registry Certificates and Articles of Incorporation — Apostille and Certified Translation

Japanese Corporate Documents We Handle

The Japanese corporate registry certificate — formally the certificate of registered matters (tokijiko shomeisho) — is issued by the Legal Affairs Bureau and comes in several forms, principally the full certificate of registered matters (including historical changes) and the current certificate of registered matters (only matters presently in force). Receiving parties sometimes describe this document as a certified copy of company registry or company registry extract; in Japanese practice it is also known by the traditional name tokibo tohon (登記簿謄本). For overseas filings it serves as the basic evidence of a company's existence, trade name, registered address, representative, and officers.

The Articles of Incorporation (teikan) set out the company's fundamental rules — its purpose, organization, and governance — and are a private document prepared and kept by the company. In Japanese corporate practice, Articles of Incorporation is the standard English rendering; receiving parties in the United Kingdom, Singapore, and elsewhere may refer to Articles of Association or a company constitution. These terms describe related but not identical instruments under different legal systems, so we confirm which document the receiving party actually expects. Shareholder registers, registers of officers, board and shareholders' meeting minutes, powers of attorney, and company-prepared certificates are likewise private documents.

For private documents other than the Articles of Incorporation — shareholder registers, registers of officers, minutes, powers of attorney, and company-prepared certificates — we decide how to proceed individually after confirming the receiving party's written instructions, the preparer of the document, the signing method, originality, and the required form of authentication. Japan has no statutory certificate that directly corresponds to a Certificate of Incumbency; if the overseas receiving party has requested a Certificate of Incumbency, Officer Certificate, or another company-prepared certificate, we confirm the specified format and authentication requirements.

Public Documents vs. Private Documents

For overseas submission of Japanese corporate documents, the authentication route differs fundamentally depending on whether the document is public or private. Even among "company documents", a registry certificate issued by the Legal Affairs Bureau and the company-prepared Articles of Incorporation follow different workflows, timelines, and costs — so this classification is confirmed first.

However, not all private documents follow the same route. The actual workflow depends on how the document was prepared, whether it is an original or a copy, who signs it, whether signature certification is needed, the receiving party's specifications, and whether a Certified True Copy is required. We organize the necessary steps per document after reviewing the receiving party's written materials — emails, checklists, or application guidelines.

Common Use Cases

Japanese corporate registry certificates, the Articles of Incorporation, and related corporate documents may be requested in the following situations. In every case, an apostille is not automatically required — the form of authentication and the document set depend on the receiving party's written instructions.

Other situations include parent-company documentation for overseas subsidiary establishment (evidence of the parent's existence and representative authority), proof of corporate existence to overseas counterparties, and company information submissions accompanying international contracts, tenders, and vendor registrations.

Confirming the Receiving Party's Written Requirements

Authentication and translation of corporate documents start with the receiving party's written requirements. Before engaging us, please note the following.

• An apostille is not always required.
• A Certified Translation alone may be sufficient.
• Notarization or a Certified True Copy may be requested.
• An issuance window (for example, issued within the last 3 months) may be specified.
• Submission of originals, or of electronic copies (PDF), may be specified.
• Requirements of banks, state authorities, ACRA, Companies House, CSPs, the Philippine SEC, and local law firms differ by institution and procedure.
• For ACRA filings, translations prepared outside Singapore are subject to ACRA's specified certifier requirements. A gyoseishoshi-issued Certification of Translation Accuracy alone should not be assumed to satisfy those requirements. We confirm the written instructions from the Singapore CSP or ACRA and, where required, arrange an appropriate notarial authentication route.
• The workflow is finalized after reviewing the receiving party's emails, checklists, or application guidelines.

If you forward the written materials you received from the receiving party, we will organize the Japan-side documents, authentication, and translation workflow. If you have not yet received written requirements, we can help you list the questions to put to the receiving party.

Corporate Documents Process

Corporate documents split into two workflows depending on the public / private classification. We confirm the destination, receiving party, use case, and document types, then sequence the necessary steps.

* We handle the Japan-side workflow only. We do not file applications with foreign authorities or banks. Document specifications, issuance windows, original / electronic formats, and authentication and translation requirements differ by receiving party.

Pricing for Corporate Documents

Corporate documents fall under different fee categories depending on whether the document is public (registry certificates, corporate seal certificates) or private (Articles of Incorporation, minutes). The main categories are below. All figures are standard minimum fees; the total varies with document combinations, the volume of the Articles of Incorporation, and the notarization method, so every matter is quoted individually. Where ACRA or another receiving party specifies the translator, certifier, or form of translation authentication, additional notarization or certification steps and fees may apply to both the Country-Specific Standard Package and Certified Translation Only.

In addition, translation of non-standard corporate documents such as the Articles of Incorporation and minutes is quoted by volume from ¥6,600 (tax inclusive) per 400 Japanese characters. Where translation, notarization, and apostille for a private document are handled as one package, the matter may be quoted as a private-document / notarization-route case (standard fee from ¥121,000, tax inclusive). Where procurement of registry certificates or corporate seal certificates is needed, a procurement fee (¥5,500 per document) plus issuing-office charges applies. Domestic and international shipping (DHL, EMS, etc.) is at actual cost, confirmed at quotation.

What We Do and Do Not Handle

We support the procurement, authentication, translation, and delivery of Japan-side documents. We do not handle foreign company registration, bank account opening, KYC review, or any other local procedure itself.

Corporate Documents FAQ

Japanese corporate documents split between public and private authentication routes, and requirements differ by receiving party — banks, state authorities, ACRA, Companies House, CSPs, and law firms. Common questions are organized below.

Related Documents and Pages

Documents and pages commonly reviewed alongside corporate documents. The representative's or directors' individual Certificate of Residence may be needed as personal verification in company KYC and director registrations. Multi-document requests are scheduled efficiently and quoted as one engagement.