Translation, apostille and interpreting in Okinawa

Everything we do is available across Okinawa, from Naha to the smallest municipality, without anyone having to travel to an office.

The largest US military presence in Japan makes Okinawa our highest-volume prefecture for US-bound marriage, birth and divorce documents, including SOFA-related paperwork.

Apostilles are issued only by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For documents from Okinawa we normally use the Osaka counter, and postal applications are accepted from anywhere in Japan. Where a document has to be notarised first, the notary's signature is certified by 那覇地方法務局, the Legal Affairs Bureau with jurisdiction over Okinawa.

We work with clients in Naha, Okinawa, Urasoe and Ginowan, and everywhere else in the prefecture.

Region: Okinawa region, population about 1.5 million
Seat of government: Naha
Legal Affairs Bureau: 那覇地方法務局
Apostille counter: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Osaka
Civil records: Issued by the municipality where the family register is held, not where you live
Collection: Courier collection and return across the prefecture

Requirements differ by receiving authority and change over time. We confirm the current requirement with the destination authority before we start.

Documents issued in Okinawa

Family registers, residence certificates and seal registration certificates are issued by the city, town or village office — in Naha and in every other municipality in Okinawa. Company registry extracts and real estate records come from 那覇地方法務局 or one of its branch offices. We can obtain any of these on your behalf under a power of attorney, then translate and legalise them in the same run.

Interpreting in Okinawa

Interpreters travel to appointments anywhere in Okinawa, including the regional immigration office, city halls, notary offices, hospitals and company sites. For short appointments, video or telephone interpreting is usually cheaper and can be arranged at shorter notice.

Cities and wards in Okinawa

Services in Okinawa

Common questions

Do I need to visit an office in Okinawa?

No. We collect documents by courier anywhere in Okinawa and return them the same way, so the whole job runs by email and post. Only interpreting requires someone to be present, and that can often be done by video.

Which apostille counter applies to documents from Okinawa?

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issues every apostille in Japan, over two counters: Kasumigaseki in Tokyo and the Osaka branch office. Documents from Okinawa normally go through Osaka. Postal applications are accepted from anywhere in the country, and for prefectures at a distance that is usually what we do.

Can you obtain a family register from a municipality in Okinawa?

Yes. Municipal offices in Okinawa accept postal applications with a power of attorney, a copy of your identification and Japanese postal payment, which is the part most applicants abroad get stuck on. We handle the application, pay the fee and receive the document for you.

Tell us what you need

Prices depend on the document, the language pair and how fast you need it, so we quote each job individually. Send us the details and we will come back with a fixed price and a delivery date.

Email: info@abc-offices.com
Phone: +1 315 820 1187

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