Marrying in Japan

[Mikka And Dan 0]

I’m an American and my Filipino girlfriend and I want to get married while on our trip in Japan. According the Philippines embassy website, LCCM is only available to those who reside in Japan. So to get married would all she need to show proof she isn’t is the CENOMAR? We’ve both never been married no there is only a 2 year age gap. 

[millefleur 5,046]

**Moved from Off Topic to PHIL regional forum**

[top_secret 2,384]

The US Embassy has advice online here.

https://jp.usembassy.gov/services/marriage/marriage-in-japan/

 

Probably a significant percentage of American marriages that take place in Japan involve service members stationed there.  So the Military has information available as well.  While it may not all be directly applicable to civilians, probably much of it is the same. 

https://www.usarj.army.mil/Portals/33/cmdStaffs/sja/doc/Marriage_in_Japan.pdf

 

Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage (LCCM) is a Philippine thing rather than a Japanese thing, however it seems unclear if it gets included under Japanese laws that the the persons marrying must fulfill the legal requirements of whatever country they are citizens of???  The US partner only needs an affidavit notarized by the US Embassy.  It seems unclear if an affidavit notarized by the Philippine Embassy or a CENOMAR would suffice for the Filipino partner.  Since the Philippine Embassy specifically says they only issue LCCM's to Filipinos who are resident in Japan, maybe it would be most helpful to ask them if they how how it works for non-resident Filipino partners.

If the main goal is just to get married, a Utah online marriage could be done while in Japan, and is fully recognized by both the US and the Philippines.  That would certainly be much simpler and involve far less bureaucracy if there are no other reasons to go through the Japanese government..