How to Use for Genealogy Research
Kanji characters in koseki—particularly old forms (kyūjitai) and variant forms (itaiji)—often cannot be accurately displayed or typed on modern computers. The Ministry of Justice’s Unified Koseki Character Information service provides a searchable database of the approximately 57,000 characters permitted in koseki. It is invaluable for identifying archaic or unusual kanji in ancestor names.
Service Overview
An online character information service from the MOJ Civil Affairs Bureau. All permitted koseki characters (tōitsu moji) can be browsed and searched by radical, stroke count, or reading.
Use Cases
- Identifying old character forms (kyūjitai) in ancestor names
- Researching relationships between variant and standard character forms
- Obtaining character codes for document processing
Official Website
Unified Koseki Character Information – MOJ Character Information Infrastructure
