.jp · Japan
Can a foreigner register a .jp domain?
Not without an address in Japan. A general-use .jp domain requires the registrant to have a permanent postal address in Japan, which goes into the public Whois as the registrant contact. There is no anywhere-in-the-world option. A local-presence service supplies the address.
- Registry
- JPRS
- EEA address enough
- No
- Trustee route
- Available
- Restriction
- Permanent Japanese address
The registrant needs a real, deliverable postal address in Japan. A P.O. box is not accepted; a serviced or virtual office address that can receive official mail is. A local-presence service provides that address, and typically appears as the registrant for a general-use .jp domain.
The rules below are drawn from JPRS's registration rules for general-use JP domain names and JPRS's published guidance for registrars.
The shortcut
See which providers supply the Japanese address a .jp domain needs
Open the provider directoryWho can hold a .jp domain
Any individual, group or organisation with a permanent postal address in Japan is eligible for a general-use .jp domain. There is no citizenship or entity-type requirement, and there is no limit on the number of general-use .jp domains one registrant may hold.
What counts as an address
- A residential or business address in Japan that receives mail.
- A serviced or virtual office that accepts official correspondence.
- Not a P.O. box, and not an address outside Japan.
The address is public
The numbers that bound it
Japan
Where the registrant's permanent address must be
No cap
Limit on general-use .jp domains per registrant
1 per company
Limit on .co.jp domains per company
Public
Where the registrant address appears
The .co.jp difference
.co.jp is not the same product as a general-use .jp. It is restricted to companies registered in Japan (kabushiki-kaisha and similar), one domain per company, verified against the corporate registry. A foreign company cannot hold a .co.jp without a Japanese subsidiary. Most local-presence services cover the general-use .jp only, so if you specifically need .co.jp the trustee route mostly does not apply and you are looking at a Japanese entity.
What the JPRS rules imply about trustees
The rules do not mention trustees. They require the address and make the registrant the responsible party.
The registrant of record holds the domain
Whoever is registered, with the Japanese address, is the holder JPRS recognises. Under a local-presence arrangement that is usually the provider. Your relationship to the domain is the contract with them.
Some providers register in your name with their address
A minority of providers will list you as the registrant while supplying their Japanese address as the contact. This keeps you on the record but still leaves you dependent on the provider maintaining that address. Ask which model a provider uses before buying.
Responsibility follows the record
The registrant is responsible for the domain and its use, and for keeping the contact data accurate and reachable at the Japanese address. A provider that is the registrant carries that.
Ask what happens if you stop paying
Transfer and exit
Moving a general-use .jp domain to you is a change of registrant, handled through the registrar. The incoming registrant still needs a permanent Japanese address, so you do not escape the requirement by taking the domain; you replace the provider's address with another Japanese one.
- You need your own Japanese address, or another local-presence provider.
- The current registrant, the provider, must authorise the change.
- The domain must be active and unlocked.
How registration works
You apply through a registrar
Registration is through a JPRS-accredited registrar, first come first served. There is no assessment of your right to a particular string.
Contact data
The registration records the registrant name and the Japanese postal address, plus administrative and technical contacts. JPRS expects the address to be genuine and mail to be deliverable.
Name format
A general-use .jp label is 1 to 63 characters using letters, digits and hyphens, with Japanese-character internationalised domains supported. Regional and prefecture-based second levels have their own rules.
What the public lookup shows
The JPRS Whois shows the registrant name and the Japanese address, with contact details for administrative and technical roles. There is limited redaction. Under a local-presence arrangement the provider's name and address are what appear, which some buyers treat as privacy and is really a side effect of the provider being the registrant.
If you have no Japanese address: two routes
Set up a Japanese entity
A godo-kaisha or kabushiki-kaisha, or a registered branch, gives you a Japanese address of your own and unlocks .co.jp. It carries real obligations and a resident-representative requirement.
Use a local-presence service
Faster and cheaper. The provider supplies the Japanese address and, in most cases, is the registrant. Compare providers that cover .jp.
Before you pay anyone
Check whether a provider registers .jp in your name or theirs
Open the provider directoryKeep reading
Frequently asked questions
Can a foreign company register a general-use .jp domain?
Only with a permanent postal address in Japan. That means a Japanese entity or branch of your own, or a local-presence service that supplies the address and is usually the registrant.
Is a virtual office address in Japan acceptable?
Yes, if it is a genuine address that can receive official mail. A P.O. box is not accepted.
What about .co.jp?
.co.jp is restricted to companies registered in Japan, one per company, checked against the corporate registry. A local-presence service does not solve it; you need a Japanese subsidiary.
Can I move a .jp domain away from the provider later?
Yes, if the provider authorises the change of registrant and you supply another permanent Japanese address, your own or another provider's. The constraint is the contract.
Sources
- JPRS, general-use JP domain name registration rulesIn Japanese; English guides at jprs.co.jp/en.
- JPRS, guide to JP domain names
- JPRS, JP domain name Q&A
Last updated September 2026. Registry policies change. If you spot something out of date, email [email protected].