# Family register (戸籍, こせき)

This is the Markdown twin of https://japanlaw.org/en/concepts/family-register. Every law, and how to address a provision: https://japanlaw.org/llms.txt. The same laws as MCP tools (no sign-in): https://japanlaw.org/mcp.

- Group: Institutions, offices and documents
- URL: https://japanlaw.org/en/concepts/family-register
- In Japanese: https://japanlaw.org/ja/concepts/family-register
- Written by: claude-opus-5-5, 2026-09-29

The public record of who a person is related to by birth, marriage and adoption. One is made for each married couple and their children who share their surname, where they set their registered domicile (本籍); when a new register is made for a person married to a foreign national (外国人) or with no spouse, it is made for that person and their children who share their surname (Family Register Act, Article 6). The mayor of the municipality (in Tokyo's special wards and the wards of designated cities, the ward mayor) administers this work unless the Act provides otherwise (Articles 1 and 4). Besides the registered domicile, it records for each person their name and its reading, date of birth, why and when they entered the register, their parents and, for an adopted child, their adoptive parents, whether they are husband and wife, and the register they came from, among other things (Article 13). Entries are made on a notification (届出) — of a birth, a marriage, a divorce or a death, for example (Articles 49, 74, 76 and 86) — or on a report, an application, a court decision and a few other grounds (Article 15). When a marriage between a Japanese national and a foreign national is notified, a new family register is made for the Japanese national, not for the couple, unless the Japanese national already heads a register of their own (Article 6 and Article 16, paragraph (3)). A foreign national who lives in a municipality as a mid- to long-term resident (中長期在留者), a special permanent resident (特別永住者) or in one of a few other categories is recorded in that municipality's resident record (住民票): instead of the family register entry a Japanese resident's record carries, it states their nationality, and for a mid- to long-term resident their status of residence (在留資格) and period of stay (Residential Basic Book Act, Article 30-45). A foreign national in none of those categories is not recorded there (Article 39).

Written for this site by an AI model from the provisions and pages it cites. Each sentence was checked against them by a separate AI model run and revised to its findings. Not reviewed by a lawyer.

## Provisions and sources it draws on

- [Family Register Act, Arts. 1, 4, 6, 13, 15, 16, 49, 74, 76, 86](https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/322AC0000000224) — on this site: https://japanlaw.org/en/family-register-act
- [Residential Basic Book Act, Arts. 7, 30-45, 39](https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/342AC0000000081) — on this site: https://japanlaw.org/en/residential-basic-book-act

## Where the laws use it

28 laws in force use it in this sense, in 167 provisions; there the word opens this explanation.

- [Family Register Act (戸籍法)](https://japanlaw.org/en/family-register-act): 88 provisions, among them [Article 1](https://japanlaw.org/en/family-register-act/art-1), [Article 2](https://japanlaw.org/en/family-register-act/art-2), [Article 3](https://japanlaw.org/en/family-register-act/art-3)
- [Residential Basic Book Act (住民基本台帳法)](https://japanlaw.org/en/residential-basic-book-act): 31 provisions, among them [Article 3](https://japanlaw.org/en/residential-basic-book-act/art-3), [Article 7](https://japanlaw.org/en/residential-basic-book-act/art-7), [Article 9](https://japanlaw.org/en/residential-basic-book-act/art-9)
- [Act on the Use of Numbers to Identify a Specific Individual in Administrative Procedures (行政手続における特定の個人を識別するための番号の利用等に関する法律)](https://japanlaw.org/en/my-number-act): 8 provisions, among them [Article 9](https://japanlaw.org/en/my-number-act/art-9), [Article 16-2](https://japanlaw.org/en/my-number-act/art-16-2), [Article 17](https://japanlaw.org/en/my-number-act/art-17)
- [National Pension Act (国民年金法)](https://japanlaw.org/en/national-pension-act): 4 provisions, among them [Article 104](https://japanlaw.org/en/national-pension-act/art-104), [Article 109-4](https://japanlaw.org/en/national-pension-act/art-109-4), [Article 138](https://japanlaw.org/en/national-pension-act/art-138)
- [Employees' Pension Insurance Act (厚生年金保険法)](https://japanlaw.org/en/employees-pension-insurance-act): 3 provisions, among them [Article 95](https://japanlaw.org/en/employees-pension-insurance-act/art-95), [Article 100-4](https://japanlaw.org/en/employees-pension-insurance-act/art-100-4), [Supplementary Provisions, Article 73](https://japanlaw.org/en/employees-pension-insurance-act/suppl-5031-37/art-73)
- [Regulation for Enforcement of the Income Tax Act (所得税法施行規則)](https://japanlaw.org/en/income-tax-act-enforcement-regulation): 3 provisions, among them [Article 47-2](https://japanlaw.org/en/income-tax-act-enforcement-regulation/art-47-2), [Article 73-2](https://japanlaw.org/en/income-tax-act-enforcement-regulation/art-73-2), [Article 81-6](https://japanlaw.org/en/income-tax-act-enforcement-regulation/art-81-6)
- [Act on the Protection of Personal Information (個人情報の保護に関する法律)](https://japanlaw.org/en/personal-information-protection-act): 2 provisions, among them [Supplementary Provisions, Article 1](https://japanlaw.org/en/personal-information-protection-act/suppl-5031-37/art-1), [Supplementary Provisions, Article 73](https://japanlaw.org/en/personal-information-protection-act/suppl-5031-37/art-73)
- [Act on Land and Building Leases (借地借家法)](https://japanlaw.org/en/land-and-building-leases-act): 2 provisions, among them [Supplementary Provisions, Article 1](https://japanlaw.org/en/land-and-building-leases-act/suppl-5031-37/art-1), [Supplementary Provisions, Article 73](https://japanlaw.org/en/land-and-building-leases-act/suppl-5031-37/art-73)
- [Health Insurance Act (健康保険法)](https://japanlaw.org/en/health-insurance-act): 2 provisions, among them [Article 196](https://japanlaw.org/en/health-insurance-act/art-196), [Supplementary Provisions, Article 1](https://japanlaw.org/en/health-insurance-act/suppl-5031-37/art-1)
- [National Health Insurance Act (国民健康保険法)](https://japanlaw.org/en/national-health-insurance-act): 2 provisions, among them [Article 112](https://japanlaw.org/en/national-health-insurance-act/art-112), [Supplementary Provisions, Article 1](https://japanlaw.org/en/national-health-insurance-act/suppl-5031-37/art-1)
- [Real Estate Brokerage Act (宅地建物取引業法)](https://japanlaw.org/en/real-estate-brokerage-act): 2 provisions, among them [Supplementary Provisions, Article 1](https://japanlaw.org/en/real-estate-brokerage-act/suppl-5031-37/art-1), [Supplementary Provisions, Article 73](https://japanlaw.org/en/real-estate-brokerage-act/suppl-5031-37/art-73)
- [Civil Code (民法)](https://japanlaw.org/en/civil-code): 2 provisions, among them [Supplementary Provisions, Article 1](https://japanlaw.org/en/civil-code/suppl-5031-37/art-1), [Supplementary Provisions, Article 73](https://japanlaw.org/en/civil-code/suppl-5031-37/art-73)
- [Inheritance Tax Act (相続税法)](https://japanlaw.org/en/inheritance-tax-act): 2 provisions, among them [Article 58](https://japanlaw.org/en/inheritance-tax-act/art-58), [Supplementary Provisions, Article 18](https://japanlaw.org/en/inheritance-tax-act/suppl-5041-4/art-18)
- [Act on Assurance of Medical Care for Elderly People (高齢者の医療の確保に関する法律)](https://japanlaw.org/en/elderly-medical-care-act): 2 provisions, among them [Article 136](https://japanlaw.org/en/elderly-medical-care-act/art-136), [Supplementary Provisions, Article 1](https://japanlaw.org/en/elderly-medical-care-act/suppl-5031-37/art-1)
- [Real Property Registration Act (不動産登記法)](https://japanlaw.org/en/real-property-registration-act): 1 provision, among them [Supplementary Provisions, Article 1](https://japanlaw.org/en/real-property-registration-act/suppl-5031-37/art-1)
- [Labor Standards Act (労働基準法)](https://japanlaw.org/en/labor-standards-act): 1 provision, among them [Article 111](https://japanlaw.org/en/labor-standards-act/art-111)
- [Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act (労働者災害補償保険法)](https://japanlaw.org/en/industrial-accident-insurance-act): 1 provision, among them [Article 45](https://japanlaw.org/en/industrial-accident-insurance-act/art-45)
- [Act on Building Unit Ownership (建物の区分所有等に関する法律)](https://japanlaw.org/en/building-unit-ownership-act): 1 provision, among them [Supplementary Provisions, Article 73](https://japanlaw.org/en/building-unit-ownership-act/suppl-5031-37/art-73)
- [Income Tax Act (所得税法)](https://japanlaw.org/en/income-tax-act): 1 provision, among them [Supplementary Provisions, Article 1](https://japanlaw.org/en/income-tax-act/suppl-5031-37/art-1)
- [Public Assistance Act (生活保護法)](https://japanlaw.org/en/public-assistance-act): 1 provision, among them [Appended Table 1](https://japanlaw.org/en/public-assistance-act/appdx-1)
- [Act on Public Consultants on Social and Labour Insurance (社会保険労務士法)](https://japanlaw.org/en/labor-and-social-security-attorney-act): 1 provision, among them [Supplementary Provisions, Article 73](https://japanlaw.org/en/labor-and-social-security-attorney-act/suppl-5031-37/art-73)
- [Act on Special Measures Concerning Taxation (租税特別措置法)](https://japanlaw.org/en/special-taxation-measures-act): 1 provision, among them [Supplementary Provisions, Article 1](https://japanlaw.org/en/special-taxation-measures-act/suppl-5031-37/art-1)
- [Copyright Act (著作権法)](https://japanlaw.org/en/copyright-act): 1 provision, among them [Supplementary Provisions, Article 1](https://japanlaw.org/en/copyright-act/suppl-5031-37/art-1)
- [Administrative Complaint Review Act (行政不服審査法)](https://japanlaw.org/en/administrative-complaint-review-act): 1 provision, among them [Supplementary Provisions, Article 73](https://japanlaw.org/en/administrative-complaint-review-act/suppl-5031-37/art-73)
- [Act on Access to Information Held by Administrative Organs (行政機関の保有する情報の公開に関する法律)](https://japanlaw.org/en/information-disclosure-act): 1 provision, among them [Supplementary Provisions, Article 1](https://japanlaw.org/en/information-disclosure-act/suppl-5031-37/art-1)
- [Road Transport Vehicle Act (道路運送車両法)](https://japanlaw.org/en/road-transport-vehicle-act): 1 provision, among them [Supplementary Provisions, Article 1](https://japanlaw.org/en/road-transport-vehicle-act/suppl-5031-37/art-1)
- [Lost Property Act (遺失物法)](https://japanlaw.org/en/lost-property-act): 1 provision, among them [Supplementary Provisions, Article 1](https://japanlaw.org/en/lost-property-act/suppl-5031-37/art-1)
- [Employment Insurance Act (雇用保険法)](https://japanlaw.org/en/employment-insurance-act): 1 provision, among them [Article 75](https://japanlaw.org/en/employment-insurance-act/art-75)

## Related

- [Act (法律, ほうりつ)](https://japanlaw.org/en/concepts/act)
- [Cabinet Order (政令, せいれい)](https://japanlaw.org/en/concepts/cabinet-order)
- [Special ward (特別区, とくべつく)](https://japanlaw.org/en/concepts/special-ward)
- [Special permanent resident (特別永住者, とくべつえいじゅうしゃ)](https://japanlaw.org/en/concepts/special-permanent-resident)
- [Legal Affairs Bureau (法務局, ほうむきょく)](https://japanlaw.org/en/concepts/legal-affairs-bureau)

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## Sources

- Explanation: Written for this site with AI (claude-opus-5-5, 2026-09-29)
- Where it is used, and how often: Worked out by this site from e-Gov's text
- English names of the laws: Japanese Law Translation, Ministry of Justice (28 records)