Japanese legal translation in Dubai is the certified translation of Japanese family, company and contract documents into Arabic or English for UAE courts, ICP, notaries, banks and licensing authorities. Wordcraft translates koseki tohon, juminhyo, company registry certificates and agreements for Japanese families and companies, converts era dates to the Gregorian calendar, and has an MOJ-licensed legal translator certify the result.
We also translate UAE documents into Japanese when a head office in Tokyo or an authority in Japan needs them, and a written quote for either direction comes back within 10–30 minutes.
Koseki Tohon or Koseki Shohon: What a UAE File Needs
The koseki (family register) is the Japanese document UAE officers ask about most. It records a family's births, marriages and other civil-status events in one register, so a single certificate can prove a marriage and a child's parentage together.
- Koseki tohon, now usually issued as a certificate of all matters, lists every person in the register. It is the normal choice for a spouse or child's residence visa, a marriage file or an inheritance case.
- Koseki shohon, the certificate of individual matters, covers only the people you select. It suits files where one person's details are enough.
Tell us what the translation is for before you order from your city or ward office in Japan, and we will say which version is normally expected.
Japanese Documents We Translate, and Who Issues Them
| Document | Japanese name | Issued by | Typical UAE use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family register, full copy | Koseki tohon | City or ward office | Spouse and child visas, marriage, inheritance |
| Family register, abstract | Koseki shohon | City or ward office | Proving one person's civil status |
| Certificate of residence | Juminhyo | City or ward office | Household and address proof |
| Seal registration certificate | Inkan shomeisho | City or ward office | Supporting a power of attorney |
| Company registry certificate | Toki jiko shomeisho | Legal Affairs Bureau | Branch license, bank account |
| Articles of incorporation | Teikan | The company | Branch or subsidiary license |
| Driving license | Unten menkyosho | Prefectural public safety commission | License exchange |
For a Japanese company opening a UAE branch, the registry certificate, articles and a board resolution usually travel together. Private documents such as resolutions are first notarized in Japan; public certificates receive official-seal certification from the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The UAE Embassy in Tokyo then legalizes them, completing UAE MOFA attestation digitally in the same step. A Japanese apostille does not replace the embassy stage, since the UAE sits outside the Apostille Convention. For the company side, see free zone business setup.
Japanese Legal Translation in Dubai: Era Dates, Kanji Names and Seals
Japanese certificates count years by era: Reiwa from 2019, Heisei from 1989 to 2019, Showa before that. We convert every date to the Gregorian calendar so the translation matches your passport. Names written in kanji take the romanized spelling in your passport rather than a fresh transliteration, and hanko seals are described in the translation so the reader knows who stamped what. Corporate filings use terms with no one-word Arabic equivalent, so repeat clients get a fixed glossary.
Sending Japanese Documents to Us
Scan the full certificate, including the issuing office's seal and any certification page, and add a passport copy for every person named. For a license exchange, include both sides of the card; our driving license translation page covers the RTA file. Engineering specifications and manuals that need no legal certification go to our technical translation team.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you translate a Japanese koseki tohon into Arabic?
Yes. Koseki tohon and shohon certificates are translated into Arabic or English as MOJ-certified legal translations for family visas, marriage files and court cases.
Do you convert Reiwa and Heisei dates?
Yes. Every era date is converted to its Gregorian year, and the original is kept where the authority wants to compare.
Is a Japanese apostille enough for the UAE?
No. Japanese documents still need legalization by the UAE Embassy in Tokyo, which now includes MOFA attestation, and the Arabic translation comes after that.
Can you translate a UAE birth certificate into Japanese?
Yes. Parents often need a Japanese version of a UAE birth certificate for Japanese authorities, and we also translate UAE trade licenses and judgments.
Is a Japanese company registry certificate translated in full?
Usually yes. Licensing authorities and banks expect the whole certificate, including officers, capital and registered address, not a summary.
Last updated: September 2026
