This is part two in a series on Adoption in Okinawa. Last article we reviewed information offered by the US bases and an international adoption support group on island. In this installment, we tackle off-base services involved in the legal process of adoption, providing some links to google translated pages.
Topics include;
1) Immigration concerns
2) Legal processes in Japan for adoption
3) Links to Okinawan orphanages.
In general, immigration concerns can be directed to the immigration offices throughout Japan, or to any consulate or embassy. They will be able to provide the immigration information necessary to facilitate your visa to Japan and the requirements for the newly adopted child to leave Japan legally.
Our first link is a google translation to Minemitsu Kogawa’s immigration consulting site.
His phone number and email information is as follows.
Postal code 169-0051 the Tokyo Shinjuku Ku west Waseda 1-1-7 Hirabayasi building 1st floor
TEL. 03-3204-0253
FAX. 03-6203-8177 (FaxEmail)
The conditions that need to be met for a foreign couple are the same that need to be met as a Japanese couple (in addition to the foreign couple’s home countries laws). It is sometimes required to receive some official documentation of the adoption, from the home country (of the adopting parents). The conditions for Japanese persons adopting Japanese children and other information related to these types of issues could be found at
This site belongs to Kenji Sugihara, a Certified Immigration Procedures Specialist, who can be reached at, sugi-san@mva.biglobe.ne.jp
Another excellent resource with a google translation link to all kinds of topics referring to adoption in Japan is,
http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hpmix.com%2Fhome%2Ftoku%2F1%2FE4.htm&langpair=ja%7Cen&hl=en&ie=UTF8
As for orphanage information, it was kind of difficult to find much detailed information. Our recommendation is to contact a translator to accompany you as you are traveling to orphanages and all government offices (with the exception of the immigration office) with intent of adoption. At the city offices, staff in the foreign resident section of the office will probably be the recommended section to ask for to understand what you are trying to do, even though that’s probably not their job. Here is a list of official orphanages as found on the Okinawa Prefecture’s site (translated by google)
http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww3.pref.okinawa.jp%2Fsite%2Fview%2Fcontview.jsp%3Fcateid%3D83%26id%3D8034%26page%3D1&langpair=ja%7Cen&hl=en&ie=UTF8
A phone number for Airien Okinawa, part of a nation-wide network of orphanages located in Okinawa is 098-946-9922
098-945-3055
FAX 098-945-2837
I pray for your success.