Japanese embassy and consulates: finding the right office

A Japanese embassy or consulate handles visas, certificates and questions about entry for people living in its consular area. Visa-exempt tourists rarely need to visit one, but it remains the official source for confirming the rules before a trip.

Which office covers you

Large countries are divided into consular districts, and applications are only accepted by the office that covers your place of residence. In the United States, the embassy in Washington, D.C. works alongside consulates-general in cities such as New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago. The United Kingdom has the embassy in London and a consulate-general in Edinburgh. Canada and Australia also have several consulates in their main cities.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs keeps a directory of every Japanese embassy and consulate website, sorted by region and country.

What the office can do

• Issue visas and handle Japan eVISA questions for its area.
• Provide official information on entry rules, customs and quarantine.
• Run or point to the Japan Visa Information hotline for general questions.
• Issue certain certificates, for example for criminal record requests.

What it cannot do

• Speed up or overturn decisions taken by immigration officers at the airport.
• Process the online arrival registration or issue its QR codes, which are generated by the official system.
• Confirm whether a specific medicine is allowed: that decision belongs to Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.
• Help with lost luggage or bookings.

Your own embassy in Japan

During the trip, problems such as a lost passport, an arrest or a serious accident are handled by your own country's embassy or consulate in Japan. Most embassies are in Tokyo, and several countries also have consulates in Osaka, Fukuoka or Sapporo. Saving their address and emergency number before leaving is a simple precaution.

Appointments and opening hours

Most consular sections work by appointment and close on both Japanese and local public holidays. Many accept visa applications through approved visa centres or travel agencies, and some accept postal applications. Check the office's own website before travelling there.

Beware of look-alike visa sites

Visa fees are only paid to the embassy, the consulate or an approved visa centre. Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs warns against websites and social media accounts that charge fake visa fees.

Preparing an embassy visit

Bring the passport, copies of all documents, the appointment confirmation and the exact fee in the accepted form of payment. Some offices require documents printed in specific formats or translated into Japanese or English. Check the office's checklist line by line, as incomplete files are returned without processing.

Information hotlines

General visa questions can be asked through the Japan Visa Information hotline listed on each embassy website, available in English around the clock in many countries.

Consular registration

Some countries offer online registration for citizens traveling abroad, which helps the embassy contact travelers during an emergency or natural disaster. It takes a few minutes and is worth doing before departure. Saving the address of your hotel in Japanese also helps embassy staff, police or taxi drivers assist you quickly in an emergency.

Official source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, visa information

Frequently asked questions