Overseas Elections

This is a system to provide Japanese people aged 18 and over who live abroad with the opportunity to exercise their right to vote in national elections (including national examinations). If you wish to vote abroad, apply for registration in the overseas electoral list and receive a "overseas electoral card".
It takes about two months for the overseas electoral card to be issued. If the application is made just before the election, you may not be able to register by the period when you can vote, so please apply in advance.

Japanese citizens aged 18 or older who are registered in the electoral list in the final Address area

• If you are not registered in the electoral list, you will not be able to apply.
• Those who have been suspended by civil rights are not eligible.

After submitting a transfer notification outside the country, please apply at the window of the Ward Election Commission. In addition, you can apply through an application signed by the person through a proxy. Specifically, please refer to each ward board of elections.
Overseas Electoral List Registration Transfer Application (PDF: 124KB)
Change of information on overseas electoral list registration transfer application registration form (PDF: 132KB)
Application Form (PDF: 49KB)

• Overseas Electoral List Registration Transfer Application
• Applicant's identity verification documents (passport, my number card, driver's license, etc.)

• Application form (Please sign by the applicant)
• Identity verification documents (passport, my number card, driver's license, etc.) of the person coming to the counter

From the date of submission of the transfer notification to the scheduled transfer date indicated in the transfer notification

We will check your overseas Address with your resident registration and register it in the overseas electoral list. Please submit it promptly after you reside abroad.

It will be the final election committee in the Address area.

A Japanese citizen who is 18 years of age or older and has a Address within the jurisdiction of a consular officer (ambassador or Consul General) responsible for Address for at least three months.

• You can apply for less than three months, but registration will be made after confirming that you have Address for at least three months.
• Not applicable to those who have lost Japanese nationality due to naturalization in their country of residence or those who have been suspended from civil rights.

Please apply at the consulate counter of the diplomatic mission abroad (embassy or consulate general) where the application is made. You can also apply at the same time when submitting your residence registration. You can also apply through an application form signed by you through the living together family, etc. listed in the registration of residence.
Application forms can be found at the Japanese Embassy or Consulate-General. It is also available on the website of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. Reception hours is Reception hours, the consulate counter of the diplomatic mission abroad.

In addition to the application form, it is necessary to present a passport and materials that can confirm residence. For more information, please contact your local office.

If you are unable to submit your passport due to circumstances, you will need a proof of identity in place of your passport. This document may vary depending on the country and region, so if you do not have a passport, please contact the diplomatic mission abroad in charge.

Examples include housing lease agreement, residence certificate, resident registration certificate, and electricity and gas receipts listed in Address.

If you have a Address within the jurisdiction of the consular officer (ambassador or Consul General) responsible for the applicant's Address, there is no time limit. However, if you have Address for less than three months at the time of application, you will be registered after confirming that you have Address for more than three months.

If you stay abroad for more than 3 months, you must submit a resident registration under Article 16 of the Passport Act. If you have submitted your resident registration to the diplomatic mission abroad for at least three months in advance, you can omit the presentation of proof of residence.

As a general rule, it will be the municipal election committee of the final Address district in Japan. However, those who fall under any of the following will be the municipal election committee of the domicile at the time of application. .

• Those who were born abroad and have never lived in Japan (those who have never created resident certificate)
• Those who left Japan by April 30, 1994 (However, if the resident certificate has been deleted after May 1, 1994 due to delays in submitting a transfer notification, it will be the Election Commission of the municipality in the final Address.)

Elections of members of the House of Representatives and House of Councilors (including by-elections and re-elections) and National Examination of Judges of the Supreme Court

It will be the constituencies to which the registered municipalities belong.

At the diplomatic mission abroad (embassy or consulate) where the voting entry place is set up, you can vote by presenting your overseas elector's card and passport. For overseas diplomatic establishments that have a place for voting, please contact the diplomatic mission abroad in charge.
The voting period and time are, in principle, from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm, from the day after the announcement (notification) of the election to the day determined for each voting entry place. (The period and time for voting vary depending on the location of the voting, so please contact each diplomatic mission abroad.)

Request a ballot paper and vote by sending an "invoice" and "overseas electoral card" to the domestic municipal election committee registered in the overseas electoral list by international mail, etc. I can. In addition, since voting by mail in overseas elections is permitted only outside the country, it cannot be used if you are temporarily staying in Japan, such as when you return to Japan.

Invoices such as ballot papers (overseas voting by mail, etc.) (PDF: 81KB)

Requests for ballots must be made up to 4 days before the election date. In addition, the invoice must have arrived at the Municipal Election Commission by this day.
A list of candidate names, names of affiliated political parties, and a list of registered political parties will be placed at diplomatic missions abroad and will also be posted on the websites of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications and the Kanagawa Election Commission.
※Attention

1. Ballot papers will be sent to the Address listed on your overseas electoral card, so be sure to submit a notice of change if Address changes.
2. If the overseas elector fills out the application form for registration of the overseas electoral list, you will be able to receive a ballot at the "emergency contact number of residence" other than Address.
3. Please send the completed ballot to the Election Commission so that you can reach the polling place at the polling place closed time on the voting day in Japan (usually until 8:00 pm).
4. Postal voting is expected to take a considerable number of days depending on the region. You can request a ballot at any time, so we recommend that you request it as soon as possible, taking into account the number of mailing days.

If you return temporarily at the time of the election, or after returning to Japan, until you are registered in the domestic electoral list, present your overseas electoral card and from the day after the announcement (notification) to the day before the election date In principle, you can vote in the same procedure as domestic early voting and absentee voting. You can also vote on the day at designated polling places in Japan.
Please contact the Election Commission of the municipality registered in the overseas electoral list for procedures for returning to Japan. Person registered in Yokohama-shi, please refer to each ward board of elections.