A child, the lineal descendant thereof, or the legal representative of either, may bring filiation proceedings; provided, however that this does not apply if three years have passed since the day on which the father or mother died.

The provisions of Articles 766 through 766-3 apply mutatis mutandis when a father acknowledges paternity.

①A child whose paternity the father acknowledges acquires status as a child in wedlock upon the marriage of the child's father and mother.

②A child whose parentage the parents acknowledge while married to each other acquires status of a child in wedlock from the time of that acknowledgment.

③The provisions of the preceding two paragraphs apply mutatis mutandis if the child has already died.

①A child born in wedlock takes the surname of the parents; provided, however that if the parents divorce before the child is born, the child takes the surname used by the parents at the time of divorce.

②A child not born in wedlock takes the surname of the mother.

①If a child's surname differs from that of the father or mother, the child may take the surname of the father or mother after obtaining the permission of the family court, through the filing of a registration pursuant to the provisions of the Family Register Act.

②If a child's surname differs from that of the parents due to the father or mother changing surnames, the child may take the name of the parents without obtaining the permission referred to in the preceding paragraph only if the parents are married to each other, through the filing of a notification pursuant to the provisions of the Family Register Act.

③If a child is under 15 years of age, the legal representative thereof may perform the acts referred to in the preceding two paragraphs on the child's behalf.

④A minor who has changed surnames pursuant to the provisions of one of the preceding three paragraphs may revert to the previous surname within one year of attaining majority, through the filing of a notification pursuant to the provisions of the Family Register Act.

A person who has attained the age of 20 may adopt a child.

It is not permissible to adopt an ascendant or a person of greater age than one's self.

A guardian must obtain the permission of the family court in order to adopt a ward (meaning a minor ward or an adult ward; the same applies hereinafter). The same applies if the person's role as guardian has ended but the person has not finished accounting for the management of the ward's property.

In order for one spouse to adopt a minor the other spouse must do so as well; provided, however, that this does not apply with respect to one spouse's adoption of the child in wedlock of the other spouse, nor does it apply if the other spouse is incapable of manifesting an intention.

One spouse may only adopt or be adopted by another with the consent of the other spouse; provided, however, that this does not apply if one spouse adopts or is adopted by another together with the other spouse, or if the other spouse is incapable of manifesting an intention.

①If a person being adopted is under 15 years of age, the legal representative thereof may give consent to the child's adoption on behalf thereof.

②If the person being adopted has another parent that is entitled to custody thereof, the legal representative must obtain the consent of that parent before giving the consent referred to in the preceding paragraph. The same applies if a parent's parental authority in respect of the person being adopted has been suspended.

③If, even though the adoption referred to in paragraph (1) is particularly necessary for the interests of the child, a parent of the person to be adopted who is to have custody of the person does not consent to the adoption, the family court may, at the request of the legal representative of the person to be adopted, grant permission in lieu of that consent. The same applies if, even though the adoption referred to in that paragraph is particularly necessary for the interests of the child, a parent of the person to be adopted whose parental authority has been suspended does not consent to the adoption.

④The family court that has received the request prescribed in Article 824-2, paragraph (3) concerning the exercise of parental authority relating to the consent under paragraph (1) may issue a ruling under paragraph (3) of that Article only if it finds that the adoption referred to in paragraph (1) is particularly necessary for the interests of the child.

A person must obtain the permission of the family court in order to adopt a minor; provided, however, that this does not apply if the person to be adopted is the lineal descendant of either the adoptive parent or the adoptive parent's spouse.

The provisions of Article 738 and Article 739 apply mutatis mutandis to adoption.

It is not permissible to accept an application to register an adoption until the adoption has been found not to violate any of the provisions of Article 792 through Article 799 or the provisions of any other law or regulation.

If a Japanese national in a foreign country seeks to adopt, or to be adopted by, another Japanese national in that country, the application to register the adoption may be filed with the Japanese Ambassador, Minister of the Japanese Embassy, or Consul stationed in that country. The provisions of Article 739 as applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to Article 799 and the provisions of the preceding Article apply mutatis mutandis, in such a case.

An adoption is void only in one of the following cases:

An adoption may not be annulled other than pursuant to the provisions of Article 804 through Article 808.

An adoptive parent or the legal representative thereof may request the family court to annul an adoption that violates the provisions of Article 792; provided, however, that this does not apply if, after the adoptive parent attains the age of 20, six months are allowed to pass or the adoptive parent ratifies the adoption.

Either of the parties to an adoption or any relative thereof may request the family court to annul an adoption that violates the provisions of Article 793.

①An adopted child or a natural relative of thereof may request the family court to annul an adoption that violates the provisions of Article 794;provided, however, that this does not apply if, after a full account is rendered of the management of the child's property, the adopted child ratifies the adoption or six months are allowed to pass.

②A ratification as referred to in the proviso to the preceding paragraph does not take effect unless the adopted child ratifies the adoption after attaining the age of majority or recovering the legal capacity to act.

③If a full account is rendered of the management of the adopted child's property but the child has not attained the age of majority or recovered the legal capacity to act, the period referred to in the proviso to paragraph (1) is calculated beginning from the time that the adopted child attains the age of majority or recovers the legal capacity to act.

①The person not consenting to an adoption that violates the provisions of Article 796 may request the family court to annul the adoption; provided, however, that this does not apply if, after learning of the adoption, the person allows six months to pass or ratifies the adoption.

②A person giving the consent referred to in Article 796 due to fraud or duress may request the family court to annul the adoption; provided, however, that this does not apply if, after discovering the fraud or escaping from the duress, the person allows six months to pass or ratifies the adoption.

①A person not consenting to an adoption that violates the provisions of Article 797, paragraph (2) may request the family court to annul the adoption; provided, however, that this does not apply if the person ratifies the adoption, nor does it apply if, after the adopted child reaches the age of 15, six months are allowed to pass or the child ratifies the adoption.

②The provisions of paragraph (2) of the preceding Article apply mutatis mutandis to consent as referred to in Article 797, paragraph (2) that is given due to fraud or duress.

The adopted child, a natural relative thereof, or the person consenting to the adoption on the adopted child's behalf may request the family court to annul the adoption if it violates the provisions of Article 798;provided, however, that this does not apply if, after the adopted child attains the age of majority, six months are allowed to pass or the child ratifies the adoption.

①The provisions of Article 747 and Article 748 apply mutatis mutandis to adoption. In this case, the term "three months" in Article 747, paragraph (2) is deemed to be replaced with "six months".

②The provisions of Article 769 and Article 816 apply mutatis mutandis to the annulment of an adoption.

An adopted child acquires status as the child in wedlock of the adoptive parent or parents from the date of the adoption.

An adopted child takes the surname of the adoptive parent or parents; provided, however, that this does not apply with respect to a person who has changed surnames upon marriage and continues to use the surname decided on at the time of marriage.