Key facts
- Japan's family registry will allow "Taiwan" as a place of origin.
- The change aligns the family registry with residence identification cards.
- The revision applies to a nationwide registry system tracking births, marriages, divorces, and deaths.
- China urged Japan to stop making a "sideshow" on the Taiwan question.
Japan has updated its national records system to permit "Taiwan" as an entry for place of origin, a move that will distinguish Taiwanese individuals from China in official documentation. This change, effective May 26, aims to accommodate requests from Taiwanese spouses who wish to express their regional identity and aligns the family registry with other government systems like residence identification cards. As of the end of March, over 70,000 Taiwanese resided in Japan. Taiwan's foreign ministry welcomed the decision as a demonstration of respect for its residents' identity, while China's foreign ministry urged Japan to uphold the one-China principle and avoid sending misleading signals.