How the Family Register Act Amendments Change Things — “Furigana Readings” and “Registers Available Anywhere in Japan”

The family register system is now changing significantly. Between 2024 and 2026, two major amendments are underway: “recording furigana in the family register” and “wide-area issuance of family registers.” Both are close-to-home, important changes that affect our family records and research into our roots. This time, we gently summarize these two changes.

1. Furigana Will Be Recorded in the Family Register (from May 2025; officially recorded from May 2026)

Until now, the reading of names (furigana) was not recorded in the family register. With the enforcement of the amended Family Register Act, furigana readings of names are to be recorded in the family register from May 26, 2025 (Reiwa 7).

• From May 26, 2025, the municipality of your registered domicile will send you, by post and in turn, a “notice” of the furigana scheduled to be recorded in your family register.
• If the furigana in the notice is correct, no action is needed. It will be recorded in the family register as is from May 26, 2026 (Reiwa 8).
• If there is an error, you need to submit the correct furigana by May 25, 2026 (Reiwa 8).

When a notice (postcard, etc.) arrives at your home, please don't leave it — be sure to check whether the furigana is correct. The aim of this amendment is to enable identity verification by furigana in administrative procedures and to advance the digitalization of those procedures.

2. “Wide-Area Issuance”: Obtain Family Registers Anywhere in Japan (from March 2024)

From March 1, 2024 (Reiwa 6), “wide-area issuance” began, allowing you to request family register certificates and closed register certificates even at the counter of a municipality other than that of your registered domicile.

• Even if your registered domicile is far away, you can make a request at the counter nearest your home or workplace.
• Even if the registered domiciles of the family registers you want are in various places around Japan, you can request them all together at a single counter.

This system is a very reassuring change for “roots research” into your ancestors and for making family trees. In the past, you had to visit each registered domicile in person, but now you can collect family registers efficiently, and in some cases you may be able to trace back to ancestors from the Meiji era.

* However, old family registers (those not computerized) may not be covered, and there are some restrictions, such as on requests made by a representative. If you are seriously tracing your family line, it is reassuring to consult a professional.

The Family Register Holds “Points”; the Family Tree Shows “Connections”

The family register is a very important document that officially records our families. On the other hand, what remains in the family register is mainly “point” information, such as names, dates of birth and relationships.

“What kind of person was my grandfather?” “Where did our family come from, and how have we been connected?” — such stories, photos and connections are not preserved by the family register alone. Precisely because nuclear families are becoming more common, preserving your family's records in a tangible form while you still can is becoming ever more valuable.

Family Storage is a service where your whole family can safely store and share family trees, photos and stories. We help you carry the “points” of the family register into the future as your family's “connections.”

Summary

• Furigana will be recorded in the family register (from May 2025; officially recorded from May 2026). When the notice arrives, check its contents, and if there is an error, submit a correction by May 25, 2026.
• With wide-area issuance (from March 2024), you can now obtain family registers from all over Japan together at your nearest counter. It is also convenient for roots research.
• Let's preserve the “points” traced through the family register as “connections” in a family tree and records.

* For details of the system and the latest handling, please check official information from your municipality, the Ministry of Justice, or the Government Public Relations Office.
References: Government Public Relations Online / Ministry of Justice, “Furigana Will Be Recorded in the Family Register” and “About the Act Partially Amending the Family Register Act”