Marriage in Tokyo for Tourists

Hi,

My girlfriend and I are both Canadian citizens from Montreal and will be in Tokyo from March 26 to April 1, 2013. I plan on asking her to marry me upon our arrival in Tokyo, a city we both truly love! Hopefully she says yes!

Can we get married on a tourist visa? Or do we need to be residents?

I sent an email to the embassy of Canada in Tokyo and apparently the ward office in Minato-ku, Tokyo confirmed that they can accept the marriage registration even for non residents provided we can submit the necessary document. I don't really have more details but I plan to do my research and find out what is required.

With the Canadian embassy, we need to take an appointment for an affidavit to swear we are free to marry.

Would anyone have some information on the process to get legally married in Tokyo? Who could I contact to get some answers? Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!

Thank you!
Arnaud

HI, as for marriage registration in minato ward.
You need to submit your koseki(family registration.)to minato ward.
and you do not have koseki in japan. because, you donot have japanese nationality.
so, you can not submit marriage to minato city hall.
as for marriage in embassy, maybe you can submit.

I didn't have a koseki either and I got married at a ward office in Tokyo. I didn't even have a passport. Perhaps Anpan would like to do some research and revise his answer.

This explains how Americans do it. It sounds very similar. Use the paperwork Canada requires, and follow the instructions here for what Japan requires. I think the most difficult part is determining which office you have to go to in order to register. If you LIVED here, that would be easy. What does your government or the Japanese embassy in your country say?

Do NOT forget to get that marriage certificate/license when it's over.

American Citizen Services | Embassy of the United States Tokyo, Japan

@mike You didn't even have a passport! Doesn't sound too difficult to get married! You did get an official marriage certificate after?

@Glenski I sent some emails to the Canadian government and waiting for some answers. I want to make sure our marriage would be recognized by Canada. Yep I wouldn't leave without getting my certificate!

modification

HI, sorry for my wrong information.

I am sorry that I was wrong.
you can get marriage in japan without koseki.
you can submit registration of marriage in ward office.
One of document which is required is ﾂ債･ﾋ?ｷ窶牌ﾅ陳鞘?ｹﾃｯ窶敕ｵﾂ湘倪?督ｾﾂ鞘??窶堋ｱ窶堙ｱ窶堋｢窶堙ｱ窶堙ｦ窶堋､窶堋ｯ窶堙ｱ窶堋ｮ窶堙鯛?堋ｵ窶堙･窶堋､窶堙溪?堋｢窶堋ｵ窶堙･).
Certificate of legal capacity to contract marriage.
You can get it in canadian embassy in Japan.
when you provide it to ward office, you have to translate it in japanese language.

arnaudexpat said:

@Mike You didn't even have a passport! Doesn't sound too difficult to get married! You did get an official marriage certificate after?

Click to expand...

Yes, I got a certificate.

I was in the US Navy and not required to have a passport at the time.