Japanese Cook's Licence: Getting an English Certificate for a Visa

When a restaurant abroad brings a chef from Japan, the work visa file sometimes needs proof of the chef's Japanese cook's licence (chourishi menkyo) in English. The licence itself is printed only in Japanese, so on its own it means little to an immigration officer.

This guide sets out how to get an English certificate of the licence, using the official guidance from Tokyo and Shizuoka as examples. The aim is to let an employer tell the chef exactly what to obtain, where and how long it takes.

1. The cook's licence is issued by a prefecture

Article 2 of the Cooks Act (Chourishi Ho) defines a licensed cook as a person who has received a licence from a prefectural governor allowing them to work in cooking under the title of chourishi. The governor grants it on application to someone who has studied for at least a year at a cooking school designated by the governor, or who has passed the cook's examination after at least two years of cooking work at a restaurant or similar (Article 3). The licence takes effect by registration in the prefecture's register of cooks, and the governor issues the licence certificate (Article 5).

So applications for an English certificate, or to update the licence, generally go to the prefecture that issued the licence, not the one where the chef now lives. Both Tokyo and Shizuoka limit their services to licences they issued.

2. Getting an English certificate (Tokyo and Shizuoka examples)

Tokyo

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government's Bureau of Public Health issues a cook qualification certificate (chourishi shikaku shomeisho). Holders of a Tokyo-issued licence can apply when they need it for a work visa application abroad.

In person, the chef needs the application form, the licence (original and copy), the passport (original and copy) and the ¥400 fee, plus ¥460 in postage stamps if the certificate is to be mailed.

By post, the chef sends the application form, a residence record (juminhyo) issued within six months, not a copy and without the My Number, a copy of the licence, a copy of the passport, the fee in cash, and a return envelope with ¥460 in stamps, all by registered cash mail. The certificate is returned by simple registered post.

Shizuoka

Shizuoka Prefecture issues an English certificate of the cook's licence only to holders of a licence issued by the governor of Shizuoka. The chef sends the application, a copy of the licence and a return envelope with a ¥460 stamp to the prefecture's hygiene division, and the certificate is ready about two weeks after the papers arrive. If the licence has been lost, it must be reissued first.

As these examples show, the certificate's name, languages, fee and timing vary by prefecture. For any other prefecture, check with the division that issued the licence, usually the one responsible for hygiene or food safety.

3. If the name has changed or the licence is lost

If a chef has changed their name, for example on marriage, but the licence still shows the old name, it will not match the passport and the visa file will need an explanation. Tokyo offers these procedures.

Tokyo residents apply to the public health centre for the ward or city where they are registered. People living outside Tokyo apply to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government office, and can also apply online or by post. The English certificate comes after the update or reissue, so allow for that time in the visa schedule.

4. Translations, certification and apostilles

For countries that need a language other than English or French, Tokyo's Japanese "original for translation" can be used as the basis for a translation. How a self-prepared translation is treated, for example whether it needs a translator's signature or notarisation, depends on the instructions of the receiving country's embassy or immigration authority.

If the receiving authority asks for proof that the document is a genuine Japanese public document, the options are the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' official seal certification (koin kakunin) or an apostille. According to MOFA, official seal certification is MOFA's certification of public documents issued by Japanese government bodies and local authorities, and an apostille is MOFA's certification under the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961, available only when the receiving country is a party to that convention. Whether either is needed, and which, depends on the receiving country.

5. How it is used in a visa application

Whether a cook's licence is required for a visa depends on the country and the scheme. Check the requirements first. Even where it is not required, a certificate of the licence can be a useful supporting document for the chef's experience and skills.

Another way to show Japanese cooking skill abroad is the agriculture ministry's (MAFF) certification of Japanese cuisine cooking skills overseas (see our guide to the cooking skill certification scheme, in Japanese). For English versions of graduation and employment certificates, see preparing them in English (in Japanese). For the police certificate, see getting a Japanese police certificate, and for visas by country, our country guide to chef work visas (in Japanese).

6. Employer checklist

1. Confirm what form of proof the visa authority wants: an English certificate, a translation, and whether official seal certification or an apostille is needed.
2. Ask the chef which prefecture issued the licence (not where they live now).
3. Check that the name on the licence matches the passport. If not, update the licence first.
4. Check that the chef still has the licence. If it is lost, get it reissued first.
5. Build the processing time (about one week in Tokyo, about two weeks in Shizuoka) and postage time into the visa schedule.
6. Decide how many copies you need, for example if more than one authority needs one.

General information, not immigration or legal advice. Certificate conditions and fees vary by prefecture and can change. Check the official sources below, verified in September 2026, and contact the issuing prefecture and the receiving country's embassy.