Furigana will be recorded in the family register

Regarding the Inclusion of Furigana in the Family Register

On June 2, Fiscal Year 2023, the "Act Partially Amending the Act on the Use of Numbers to Identify Specific Individuals in Administrative Procedures, etc." (Act No. 48 of Fiscal Year 2023), which includes partial amendments to the Family Register Act (Act No. 224 of 1947), was enacted and promulgated on June 9 of the same month.

Until now, the phonetic reading (furigana) of names was not recorded in the family register, but with the enforcement of this revised law, the phonetic reading of names will now be newly recorded.

The revised law will come into effect on May 26, 2025.

For details of the system, please visit the Ministry of Justice website.

• Ministry of Justice Website "Furigana will be recorded in the family register"(External Link)

Process Until Furigana Is Recorded in the Family Register

(1) Notification of the furigana to be recorded in the family register from the municipality of the registered domicile

Regarding the Certificate of Residence, for administrative convenience, information held by the municipality will be referenced. Sequentially, in principle, the head of the family registered in the family register will be notified of the phonetic reading of the name scheduled to be recorded in the family register by the mayor of the municipality of the registered domicile.

The notification timing varies depending on the municipality of your registered domicile.

In Inagi City, preparations are underway to ensure delivery to your hands by July of Reiwa 7.

When you receive the notification, please check the furigana content.

For those who are recorded in the family register for the first time after the start of this system, such as through birth notifications or naturalization notifications, furigana will be recorded simultaneously.

 

Note: You can check and submit furigana on the Mynaportal even before the notification arrives. For instructions on how to operate, please refer to the link below.

• My Number Portal Operation Manual "Confirming Furigana in the Family Register"(External Link)

(2) Notification of Name Furigana

Within one year from the enforcement date of the revised law (May 26, 2025), you can submit a Notification of the phonetic reading of your name. Once this Notification is accepted, the phonetic reading of the notified name will be recorded in the family register.

Notice: If the furigana used in your passport or Pension differs from the furigana on your family register, you may need to undergo a change procedure.

Caution: If you want to further change the furigana of the family register recorded by the Notification, permission from the Family Court is required.

If the notified furigana is correct

Notification of furigana for family or given names is not required. From May 26, 2026, the furigana recorded in the notification will be directly entered into the family register.

If the furigana in the notification is correct, no notification is required; however, those who wish to have it recorded in the family register at an early stage can submit a notification of the furigana.

If the notified furigana is incorrect

Please be sure to submit the correct furigana notification between May 26, 2025 and May 25, 2026 (within one year from the enforcement date of the revised law).

For procedures, please refer to the "Specific Notification Methods" below.

(3) Furigana notation of names by the mayor of the city, ward, town, or village

If no notification is made between May 26, 2025 and May 25, 2026 (within one year from the enforcement date of the revised law), the furigana for the notified family name and given name will be recorded in the family register.

In this case, you can notify the change of the phonetic reading of your family name or given name without obtaining permission from the family court, but only once. If you want to change the phonetic reading of a family name or given name that has already been notified, permission from the family court is required.

Specific Notification Methods

(1) Persons who can submit a notification

The persons eligible to submit notifications for "Furigana of the Family Name" and "Furigana of the Given Name" are different for each.

About the notifier of the "Notification of Furigana for Surname"

As a general rule, the head of the family register will make the Notification alone.

If there are registered members such as a spouse other than the head of the family register, please check and consult the details before the Notification.

If the primary registrant has already been removed from the register, their spouse will be the notifier; if the spouse has also been removed, then their child will be the notifier.

About the notifier of the "Notification of Name Furigana"

Those already registered in the family register will each become the respective notifier.

However, if under 15 years old, a legal representative must apply; if between 15 and under 18 years old, either the individual or a legal representative can be the applicant.

(2) About the Notification Method

There are online services using the My Number Portal, municipal offices, and notifications by mail.

Procedures can be completed online using the convenient "My Number Portal."

When using the Mynaportal

If you have a My Number Card, you can use the Mynaportal to submit your name's phonetic reading online.

For the procedure of notification, please refer to the Ministry of Justice website "About Online Notification" and the Mynaportal operation manual "Starting Notification of Furigana for Family Register".

• Ministry of Justice Website "About Online Notifications"(External Link)
• My Number Portal Operation Manual "Starting the Notification of Furigana for Family Register"(External Link)

When done at the municipal office counter

Please visit the municipal office of your registered domicile or residence and submit the notification form in person.

Please bring the notification letter from your registered domicile municipality whenever possible.

When sending by mail

Please mail the notification of the furigana for your surname and given name to the municipality of your registered domicile. You can download the form from "(4) Notification Form" or use the paper available at the municipal office counter.

Please note that postage costs will be borne by the applicant.

The mailing address for submitting notifications by mail to Inagi City is as follows.

Mailing Address

Postal Code 206-8601 2111 Higashi-Naganuma, Inagi City, Tokyo

Inagi City Hall Citizen Affairs Division Family Register Section Furigana In Charge　

(3) About the required items for notification

In principle, there is no need to submit anything for the notification of the phonetic reading of your name. However, if the phonetic reading you intend to notify is not generally accepted, you will need to submit a copy of a document (such as a passport or bankbook) that shows the usage of that reading.

(4) Form of Notification

• Notification of Furigana for the Surname (PDF 753.9KB)
• Notification of Name Furigana (PDF 747.0KB)

For Pension Recipients

When changing the furigana of the family register, it may be necessary to change the account holder name (furigana) of the financial institution receiving the Pension.

If the account holder name (in furigana) of the financial institution receiving the Pension differs from the furigana of the changed name, the Pension payment may be temporarily suspended.

Please see the PDF file below for details.

• For Pension Recipients (PDF 168.7KB)

If you have any questions, please contact the Pension Office of the Japan Pension Service.

For the contact information of the Pension Office, please check the "Nationwide Consultation and Procedure Offices" on the Japan Pension Service website.

If you are receiving a Pension from the Mutual Aid Association, please contact the relevant Mutual Aid Association, etc.

• Japan Pension Service Website "Nationwide Consultation and Procedure Offices"(External Link)

For those who have changed their bank account due to a change in the phonetic reading of their family register

In Inagi City, various allowances, subsidies, and benefits are transferred to the bank account you have applied for.

If you have changed your bank account due to a change in the furigana of your family register, you need to update your account information for various allowances, subsidies, and benefits. If the change is not made, payments may be temporarily suspended.

• Child Allowance and Medical Expenses Assistance
• Childcare and Places for Children
• Support System for Educational Expenses
• Support & Services for Individuals with Disabilities

Benefits of Having Furigana for Names Recorded in the Family Register

Infrastructure Development for Promoting Digitalization of Administration

Most of the name information held by administrative agencies is written in kanji, but since there are various styles of the same kanji and sometimes external characters are used, the process of creating databases has been complicated, causing delays in searching for specific individuals. However, by uniquely identifying the phonetic reading of names as recorded in the family register, processing such as database searches becomes easier and errors can be prevented.

Use as Identity Verification Document

By having the phonetic reading of the name recorded in the family register, it can also be included in the Certificate of Residence and My Number Card, allowing it to be used as identity verification documents. Additionally, there will be more situations where the name can be pronounced accurately.

Prevention of Evasion of Various Regulations

In some financial institutions, the phonetic reading of names is used for identity verification. There have been cases where multiple phonetic readings were used to impersonate different individuals and evade various regulations. However, by uniquely identifying the phonetic reading of names based on the family register, such regulatory evasion can be prevented.

Inquiries about the Furigana System

Furigana Call Center

Phone Number: 0570-05-0310

Opening Period: From Monday, May 26, 2025 to Tuesday, May 26, 2026

Note: Excluding Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays, and year-end/New Year holidays (from December 30, 2025 to January 3, 2026)

Opening Hours: 8:30 AM to 5:15 PM

Beware of frauds exploiting notifications for furigana in family registers

• There is no fee for submitting the phonetic reading of your name.
• Even if you do not submit the phonetic reading of your name, there are no penalties or fines.
• Municipalities will never ask for your bank account number when you submit the phonetic reading of your name.

• Beware of fraud related to the notification of furigana for family registers (PDF 963.9KB)