If notarized Japanese translation seems confusing to you, this is the guide to dive into for everything you need to know (created by Tokyo based Certified Translation)

Notarization Translation is, well, translation that’s been notarized – Not much leeway for confusion! However, there’s plenty confusion about what exactly it is that is being notarized.

Understanding what notarization is -i.e., the purpose of notarization- provides context and, therefore, clarity to notarized translation. Notarization is the process of

Making a public record of a private document to enhance legal credibility, reassuring officials that the document meets formal requirements.

(Note that documents issued by a local municipal or ward office are public documents and, therefore, do NOT require notarization.)

So, what is Notarized Translation? It is:

• A subset of Official Translation (new window), and
• A method to make certain types of translation ‘official’ for international use and for providing accountability (of the translator).

Certified Translation (new window) must be notarized only when required by an evaluating authority. Sworn Translation (new window), on the other hand, must always be notarized.

The obvious follow-on question here is: Who can notarize a translation? The answer to this question is a Notary Public. The notary authenticates the

• Translator’s declaration -known as a Statement of Certification or Sworn Affidavit– which confirms that the translation is accurate and complete.

(The translator’s declaration is a private document.)

Notarized Translation in Japan

The method you decide on will depend on the requirements of the evaluating authority where you submit your documents. If the evaluating authority:

1. Requires simple notarization, get our translated documents notarized at your closest Notary Public office. (If the notarial certificate is in Japanese, then it will need to be translated.)
2. Explicitly requires notarization of the translator’s declaration, we will handle that for you with one of our representatives making an appointment with the Notary Public office.

Here’s an example of Japanese notarization — An actual notarized document we translated.

Japanese Notarized Translation
(The bottom half of this private document is also legalized with Apostille – See Apostilled Translation)

SIDE NOTE
In Japan the Notary Public office falls under the Legal Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Justice.

Clearing Up Common Misconceptions

The top misconception of notarization is:

1. A Notary Public guarantees the authenticity of a translation.
   Notaries are NOT linguists; thus, they are not qualified to verify translation accuracy. The job of the notary public is to authenticate documents.

And, finally, I would like to leave you with our oft repeated mantra:

Save yourself time, money and energy by getting your facts directly from the official authority (i.e. organizational level) that will be evaluating your translated documents

Got notarization rquirements? Click Notarized Japanese Translation

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About the Author
Ivan Vandermerwe is the CEO of SAECULII YK, the owner of Tokyo based Certified Translation Japan Visit SAECULII for the latest professional case studies, articles and news on Japanese Translation Services

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