British marrying Canadian in Japan

I'm a British woman and am looking to marry my Canadian fiance in Japan. We both live here as English teachers and plan to stay until next August before going to Canada for a year, then settling in the UK.

Am I right in thinking that you can't get your name changed here in Japan and I would have to do that in the UK later? So we would be married under Japanese law on paper only? Also, I've read that you may need to register the marriage in your respective countries, but I read something else saying it is difficult for a British citizen to register a marriage that happened in Japan. Is that the same as Canada? Legally, will it be really complicated? After marriage would things like Visas etc have to change? I guess my passport would only have to change when I change my name in the UK, so there is no point doing this until we settle back in the UK, at least 2 years from now?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

I am very serious.

Japan has nothing to do with the marriage of British and Canadian person. Please do all procedure under British and Canadian law at British and Canadian Embassies in Tokyo.

Maybe your marriage might affect your alien registration, but marriage itself is not Japan's business.

The above comment is not entirely true.

As the two of you have addresses/resident status in Japan, you "can" get married in Japan at the city hall where you live. (Actually, even those who are here on Temporary Visitor Status "can" get married in Japan, if the city hall accepts the hotel address as their address.)

Changing name, however, is something (because you are a UK citizen) you can only do with the UK authorities.

And once you've submitted your paper at the city hall where you live and reported your marriage, you will be legally married according to Japanese law (please do not say "just on paper," because this act of reporting constitutes a legal marriage in Japan).

However, I have come to find out through other threads on this forum that registering a Japan law-based marriage under the UK law does not seem easy... or possible, that people who got married once here might decide to get married again under the UK law (the same two people can get married again under the UK law as it seems) because the UK authorities do not seem to officially acknowledge non-UK (or at least Japanese) marriages.

Unless you have a reason to get married under Japanese law soon - meaning, one of you need a dependent visa to continue to stay together, or that you plan to live in Japan long-term -, I recommend that you wait till you get to Canada or to the UK to get married and to complete the procedures locally, if that's where you plan to live.


For your reference:
http://www.japan-guide.com/forum/quereadisplay.html?0+90333

http://www.japan-guide.com/forum/quereadisplay.html?0+84873

By the way, congratulations on your engagement! :)