What is checked on a Spouse of a Japanese National visa at residence, renewal and change: how a Chinese or Taiwanese spouse shows a genuine marriage

In short: "Spouse of a Japanese National" is a status for the spouse or special adoptee of a Japanese national, or a person born as the child of a Japanese national (Appended Table II of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act). Certification, change and renewal look at the substance and continuity of the marriage, and if you remain without carrying on activities as a spouse for six months or more, you fall within the grounds for revocation of status (Article 22-4 of the Act), absent a justifiable reason.

Sources checked: 24 October 2026. This article organises, as information, what is checked at certification, change and renewal of "Spouse of a Japanese National" and the framework of revocation, for families with a Chinese or Taiwanese spouse and the local professionals who support their residence procedures. The provisions were reconciled by law name (Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act) on e-Gov, and the operation was confirmed in the Immigration Services Agency's guidance (referenced 24 October 2026). Internal review operation and the grant or refusal in an individual case remain unverified. Individual residence is decided by the regional immigration bureau, and disputes and legal judgements are handled by lawyers.

Who is covered by "Spouse of a Japanese National"?

According to the Immigration Services Agency's guidance (referenced 24 October 2026), those covered by this status are "a spouse or special adoptee of a Japanese national, or a person born as the child of a Japanese national." The Japanese national's husband or wife, their biological child, and a special adoptee all fall within it. The period of stay is one of five years, three years, one year, or six months.

Category	Who is covered
Spouse of a Japanese national	A person in a legally valid marriage with a Japanese national
Special adoptee of a Japanese national	A child by special adoption under the Civil Code
Person born as a child of a Japanese national	A biological child whose father or mother was Japanese at birth

There are three procedures for the status. To bring in a spouse living abroad, you apply for a certificate of eligibility; to switch from another status, you apply for a change of status; to extend the same status, you apply for an extension of the period of stay. The application is made by the person or by a representative etc. permitted by the regional immigration bureau.

How is the substance of the marriage checked at certification and renewal?

Because you reside as a "spouse," it is checked that the marriage is genuine — not merely formal — and continuing. The Immigration Services Agency's list of documents to submit (referenced 24 October 2026) calls for materials showing the substance of the marriage and the state of your life. The specific forms and copies differ by the type of application and the bureau, so confirm them in the latest list.

What is examined	Example materials (per the Agency's guidance)
Formation of the marriage	Family register, marriage certificate from the home country, etc.
Cohabitation and the substance of life	A copy of the resident record listing everyone in the household
Substance and interaction of the marriage	A questionnaire, photographs of the couple, records of contact, etc.
Livelihood and stability	A letter of guarantee, residence-tax taxation and payment certificates, a certificate of employment, etc.

These materials help examine comprehensively whether the marriage is genuine and continuing. Even if the documents are formally complete, the examination is careful where the substance cannot be confirmed. How to prepare which documents depends on individual circumstances, and the final grant or refusal is decided by the bureau (this article makes no individual judgement on grant or refusal).

Will renewal be refused when income or cohabitation is unstable?

Income and the state of cohabitation are among the factors considered in a renewal examination. But it is not decided mechanically by a single figure; the substance and continuity of the marriage and the stability of life are viewed comprehensively. Where income is low, you have just changed jobs, or you are temporarily living apart for a work posting or hospitalisation, the common practical approach is to attach a statement of reasons and supporting materials to show that the substance continues.

Whether a refusal is likely, and which document can supplement what, differs case by case. This article stays at general information; individual judgement rests on confirmation with the regional immigration bureau and consultation with a qualified professional.

What happens to the status on living apart, divorce or bereavement (Article 22-4)?

If a person residing under "Spouse of a Japanese National" remains without carrying on activities as a spouse for six months or more, they fall within the grounds for revocation of status, absent a justifiable reason (Article 22-4 of the Act). The Immigration Services Agency's guidance (referenced 24 October 2026) treats the target of this ground as the spouse residing under "Spouse of a Japanese National" or "Spouse of a Permanent Resident," and excludes a child or special adoptee of a Japanese national.

Situation	Relationship to the status (a general outline)
Temporary separation (work posting, hospitalisation, etc.)	If the marriage continues, revocation does not follow at once; explaining the circumstances helps
Divorce or bereavement	Activities as a spouse become impossible; consider a change of status around a six-month marker
Living apart to escape DV etc.	May amount to a "justifiable reason" (the Ministry of Justice published examples in July 2012)

Before revocation, an immigration inspector holds a hearing, where the person may state opinions, submit evidence and request to inspect materials. This ground (item vii) is a type where a period for departure (up to 30 days) is designated after revocation; it does not lead to immediate deportation (the Agency's guidance, referenced 24 October 2026). If you wish to continue residing in Japan after divorce or bereavement, the basic practice is to consider early a change to a work status, Long-Term Resident, or the like. What amounts to a "justifiable reason" or a possibility of change for a given person differs by circumstances, and the final judgement is made by the bureau.

Who do you consult for disputes or family-register procedures? (Separating the engagements)

The procedures around an international marriage and residence divide into work of different kinds — residence, disputes and the family register. The basic approach is to consult a separate specialist for each.

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Who to consult	Scope
四葉行政書士事務所	Preparing documents for certification, change and extension of status; organising materials
Lawyer	Representation and legal judgement on disputes — divorce, DV, custody, property division
Municipal office	Marriage registration, the family register, resident-record procedures
Home-country public bodies / local professionals	Obtaining and authenticating marriage and birth certificates from the home country

四葉行政書士事務所, 四葉社会保険労務士事務所 and 四葉不動産株式会社 are each a separate, independent business. A lawyer is also an independent business separate from our office. You contract with each field's provider separately, and each provider bills and receives payment directly. Our office receives no referral fee. Representation and legal judgement on disputes such as divorce, DV and custody are the domain of lawyers, which an administrative scrivener cannot handle. The family register and marriage registration are municipal procedures, and the grant or refusal of residence is an immigration-bureau procedure; neither is a party engaged under a professional-services contract.

See international-work support, the engagement process and the fee schedule. Permanent residence and naturalisation are separate residence and nationality procedures — see permanent-residence permission (Chinese and Taiwanese professionals) and requirements for naturalisation (China and Taiwan). For notarised deeds and consular authentication of home-country family relationships, see notarised deeds and consular authentication of heirs and family relationships in mainland China.

FAQ

Q. Can I reside under "Spouse of a Japanese National" as soon as I register the marriage?
A. The formation of the marriage alone is not enough; it is checked that the marriage is genuine and continuing. A spouse abroad applies for a certificate of eligibility, and someone switching from another status in Japan applies for a change of status, showing the substance with a questionnaire, resident record, materials of interaction and so on (Immigration Services Agency, referenced 24 October 2026). Grant or refusal is decided by the bureau.

Q. Does my status disappear immediately on divorce?
A. Divorce does not extinguish the status at once, but because activities as a spouse become impossible, if that state continues for six months or more without a justifiable reason, it can fall within the grounds for revocation (Article 22-4 of the Act). The common practice is to consider early, around a six-month marker, a change to a work status, Long-Term Resident, or the like.

Q. What happens if I am living apart having fled DV?
A. Living apart to escape DV etc. may amount to a "justifiable reason," and the Ministry of Justice published in July 2012 examples where revocation is not carried out. Consultation records, protection orders and medical certificates can serve as materials showing the circumstances. Whether it applies is judged by individual circumstances, so consult a lawyer or the regional immigration bureau early.

Q. Will renewal always be refused if my income is low?
A. It is not always refused. Income is one factor; the substance and continuity of the marriage and the stability of life are viewed comprehensively. Circumstances such as a recent job change or a temporary drop in income are commonly explained with a statement of reasons and supporting materials. The outlook differs case by case, so it rests on confirmation with the bureau and consultation with a professional.

Sources (Primary Information)

• e-Gov: Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act (1951 Cabinet Order No. 319): Appended Table II ("Spouse of a Japanese National" = the spouse or special adoptee of a Japanese national, or a person born as the child of a Japanese national), Article 20 (change of status), Article 21 (extension of period of stay), Article 22-4 (revocation of status). The detail of paragraphs and items, and final amendment dates and full commencement histories, were not obtained (unverified).
• Immigration Services Agency: status "Spouse of a Japanese National": those covered (spouse or special adoptee of a Japanese national, or a person born as the child of a Japanese national) and the periods of stay (five years, three years, one year, six months) (referenced 24 October 2026).
• Immigration Services Agency: revocation of status of residence: remaining without carrying on activities as a spouse for six months or more (absent a justifiable reason) as a ground for revocation; a child or special adoptee of a Japanese national is excluded; a hearing before revocation; a departure grace period of up to 30 days (referenced 24 October 2026).
• Ministry of Justice, "On specific examples where, there being a justifiable reason for not carrying on activities as a spouse, the status of residence is not revoked" (published July 2012): examples such as fleeing DV (referenced 24 October 2026). Note that individual cases are judged by specific circumstances and are not limited to the published examples. The forms and copies of documents to submit differ by bureau and remain unverified.

Checked 24 October 2026. Article numbers are limited to what was reconciled by law name on e-Gov. The detail of paragraphs and items, final amendment dates, the definitive forms and copies of documents to submit, and the internal operation of examination remain unverified and should be reconfirmed in the Immigration Services Agency's latest guidance before filing.

This is general information and does not guarantee the grant or refusal of an individual residence, whether revocation applies, or whether a "justifiable reason" exists. Legal judgements on disputes such as divorce, DV and custody are made by lawyers, and the final decision on residence is made by the regional immigration bureau. Written by Joji Uramatsu, administrative scrivener and licensed real-estate transaction specialist.