Key Points
- Japanese seal certificates include a personal Seal Registration Certificate issued under a municipality's seal-registration system and a company or corporate representative Seal Certificate issued through the Legal Affairs Bureau system. They certify different registered seal information.
- Within our current five-destination service scope, we handle eligible MOFA apostille procedures and Japanese-to-English Certified Translation for seal-certificate matters.
- A seal certificate and a separate signed or sealed document are different evidence items. The receiving authority may also request corporate registry records, a power of attorney, proof of address, or other supporting material.
- The required certificate, issuing authority, document recency, related document set, authentication target, and translation or additional formality must be confirmed from the receiving authority's current instructions.
What is a Japanese Seal Registration Certificate?
印鑑証明書 / Inkan ShomeishoA personal Seal Registration Certificate (inkan toroku shomeisho / 印鑑登録証明書) is issued by a Japanese municipality from its seal-registration system and certifies information concerning the seal impression registered for that individual under the municipality's procedure.
A company or corporate representative's Seal Certificate (inkan shomeisho / 印鑑証明書) is issued through the Legal Affairs Bureau system and certifies information concerning the seal filed for the relevant company or corporate representative.
A seal certificate does not by itself certify that a particular signature or seal on a separate document was made by the certificate holder, nor does it by itself establish contractual authority, corporate authority, identity for every purpose, or the legal validity of a separate transaction.
A receiving authority may request a seal certificate as one part of a larger evidence set involving a signed or sealed document, corporate registry record, proof of address, power of attorney, or other supporting material. The exact evidentiary purpose should be confirmed from the receiving authority rather than inferred from the seal certificate alone.
Seal certificates issued by a Japanese municipality or the Legal Affairs Bureau are public documents. They may be eligible for direct MOFA apostille where the particular certificate satisfies MOFA's requirements concerning the issuing authority, original document, issue date, issuer, and official seal. For direct MOFA apostille, an eligible public document is generally required to be an original issued within the preceding three months. An apostille should be obtained only where authentication of the Japanese public document is requested for the specific submission. If the receiving authority instead requires authentication of a related private signed or sealed document, a signature, a translation certificate, or a combined document set, different Japan-side steps may be required. Confirm the authentication target before documents are bound, notarized, or submitted.
Personal and Corporate Seal Certificates
Different Issuing Authorities and Different FunctionsThe correct certificate depends on whose registered seal information the receiving authority asks to verify. A personal seal certificate and a corporate seal certificate should not be selected solely from the type of overseas transaction.
| Aspect | Personal Seal Certificate | Corporate Seal Certificate |
|---|---|---|
| Issued by | Municipality where the personal seal is registered | Legal Affairs Bureau |
| Registration system | Municipal personal seal-registration system | Company / corporate representative seal filing in the commercial-registration system |
| What it certifies | Information concerning the registered personal seal impression | Information concerning the registered company or corporate representative seal impression |
| Acquisition | Municipality-specific procedure; counter service and, where available, convenience-store issuance may be available to an eligible registrant | Legal Affairs Bureau procedure; representative or agent request may be possible under the applicable procedure |
| Agent / proxy considerations | Rules vary by municipality. A seal registration card or other municipality-specific item may be required. | For counter or postal requests, the Legal Affairs Bureau seal card is generally required. Agent requests are possible under the applicable procedure. |
| Online procedure | Depends on municipality | Online request by the seal submitter requires the applicable electronic-signature procedure |
| Government issuance fee | Varies by municipality | Varies by request method; see current Legal Affairs Bureau fee schedule |
| What it does not establish | Does not by itself authenticate a signature or seal on a separate document | Does not by itself establish contractual authority, transaction validity, or the contents of a separate corporate document |
| MOFA recency | Direct MOFA apostille generally requires an eligible original issued within the preceding three months | Direct MOFA apostille generally requires an eligible original issued within the preceding three months |
| Receiving-authority recency | Separate requirement; confirm current instructions | Separate requirement; confirm current instructions |
Do not choose the certificate solely from the transaction label. Confirm whether the receiving authority wants evidence of a registered personal seal, a registered company or representative seal, a separate signed or sealed document, corporate registry information, or another record.
Where the instructions are unclear, we can review the receiving authority's written document requirements and identify the Japan-side document and authentication questions that need to be resolved.
Seal Certificate Requirements by Destination
Receiving-Authority Requirements Are Case-SpecificThe five destinations in our current service scope do not share one fixed seal-certificate authentication or translation process. For each matter, confirm the receiving authority, whether a personal or corporate seal certificate is requested, whether a related signed or sealed document is also involved, the authentication target, and any translation or additional formality required.
The organizations below are examples of possible receiving authorities and other recipients. Requirements for one organization or transaction should not automatically be applied to another.
United States
Courts · State Authorities · Financial and Corporate RecipientsUnited Kingdom
Government Bodies · Courts · Financial and Corporate RecipientsSingapore
ACRA · Corporate Service Providers · Banks · Other RecipientsNew Zealand
Government · Corporate · Financial · Other Receiving AuthoritiesPhilippines
Government Authorities · Courts · Corporate and Financial RecipientsDestination country alone does not determine the Japan-side process. We confirm the certificate type, issuing authority, related document set, authentication target, receiving authority, and current instructions before determining the required steps.
Seal Registration Certificate Process
Document-Specific WorkflowThe workflow starts by confirming the receiving authority and the exact evidence requested. We then distinguish personal and corporate seal certificates, identify the issuing authority, review document status and acquisition requirements, confirm the authentication target, and determine whether Certified Translation or another Japan-side formality is required.
* Requirements and timing vary by certificate type, issuing authority, certificate status, related document set, receiving authority, required Japan-side procedures, translation work, and delivery arrangements. External authority processing times are outside our control.
Pricing for Seal Registration Certificate
Public-Document Package, MOFA Apostille Handling, and Certified TranslationFor an eligible seal-certificate matter requiring both MOFA apostille handling and one Certified Translation, the Public-Document Package — Where Applicable starts from JPY 77,000 (tax included). Certified Translation alone starts from JPY 33,000.
If only public-document apostille handling is required, the separate professional fee starts from JPY 55,000. MOFA itself does not charge the applicant an apostille application fee.
Corporate seal-certificate procurement assistance may be available at JPY 5,500 (tax included) per document, plus applicable disbursements, subject to the company's instruction and availability of the required seal card or other required items, and the Legal Affairs Bureau's current procedure. Legal Affairs Bureau fees and postage are third-party costs and are not included in our professional fee.
Official issuance fees, domestic postage, international courier or shipping charges, and other third-party disbursements are settled separately from our professional fees.
Personal seal-certificate convenience-store guidance is not a separate paid service.
MOFA Apostille Handling starts from ¥55,000 where the seal certificate is eligible for direct MOFA apostille and no Certified Translation is included.
Corporate Seal Certificate Procurement Assistance is JPY 5,500 (tax included) per document, plus applicable disbursements, where our office can handle the request under the applicable Legal Affairs Bureau procedure. This does not apply automatically to personal seal certificates, which are governed by municipality-specific procedures.
Seal Certificate FAQ
Eight Practical QuestionsThese questions address personal and corporate seal certificates, related signed documents, acquisition procedures, authentication, translation, and overseas submission requirements.
How should I request a written Seal Certificate review or quotation?
For an initial inquiry, please provide the destination country, receiving authority, document name, desired deadline, and whether the document has already been issued.
Email is recommended where written requirements or detailed instructions need to be reviewed. WhatsApp may be used for initial overseas inquiries, and LINE is available for clients residing in Japan.
What is the difference between a personal seal certificate and a corporate seal certificate?
A personal Seal Registration Certificate is issued under a municipality's personal seal-registration system. A corporate Seal Certificate is issued through the Legal Affairs Bureau system for a company or corporate representative seal filing.
Neither certificate should be described as a universal identity certificate or as automatic proof of signing authority. The receiving authority should specify what registered seal information or related evidence it needs.
Should the original certificate and registered seal impression be submitted together?
Only if the receiving authority requires that document set. A seal certificate and a separate signed or sealed document are different evidence items.
A seal certificate does not by itself certify that a seal appearing on a separate document was affixed by the registrant, and it does not by itself establish the validity or authority of the separate transaction.
Confirm what the receiving authority wants to authenticate before binding, notarizing, or submitting the documents.
Can a seal certificate be obtained by an agent?
The procedure depends on the certificate type.
For a personal seal certificate, agent requests are governed by the issuing municipality's procedure. A seal-registration card or other municipality-specific item may be required. Convenience-store issuance, where available, is generally a procedure used by the eligible registrant with the required My Number Card and municipality service.
For a company or corporate representative Seal Certificate, the Legal Affairs Bureau states that the seal submitter is the person entitled to request the certificate, while an agent request is also possible. Counter and postal procedures generally require the Legal Affairs Bureau seal card.
Our corporate seal-certificate procurement assistance may be available at JPY 5,500 (tax included) per document, plus applicable disbursements such as Legal Affairs Bureau fees and postage, subject to the company's instruction and availability of the required seal card or other required items, and the current Legal Affairs Bureau procedure. The exact requirements depend on the applicable request method rather than on any single fixed rule.
Is notarization required for a Seal Certificate translation?
Not necessarily. If authentication is requested only for an eligible public seal certificate itself, direct MOFA apostille may be the relevant Japan-side process.
If the receiving authority instead requires authentication of a related private signed or sealed document, a signature, a translation certificate, or another private-document element, notarization or other additional steps may be required.
The correct process is determined by the authentication target and receiving authority, not by destination country alone.
How long is a Japanese Seal Certificate valid for overseas submission?
An apostille itself does not have a uniform expiration date. Separately, for direct MOFA apostille, an eligible Japanese public document is generally required to be an original issued within the preceding three months.
The receiving authority may impose a separate document-age requirement on the seal certificate or related documents. These are separate requirements.
Do translation and authentication requirements differ among the five destinations?
Yes, but they are not determined by destination country alone. The receiving authority may specify whether it needs a personal or corporate seal certificate, whether the public certificate must be apostilled, whether a related signed document is involved, what must be translated, and whether additional certification or notarization is required.
Corporate registries, courts, banks, government agencies, property professionals, immigration authorities, and other receiving authorities may issue different instructions for different procedures.
We therefore confirm the receiving authority and authentication target before determining the Japan-side steps.
Do you handle countries outside the five supported countries?
Our current destination scope is limited to the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore, New Zealand, and the Philippines. Other destination countries are generally outside our service scope.
For an out-of-scope destination, please confirm the authentication and translation requirements with the receiving authority or an appropriate professional familiar with that jurisdiction.