Q35: I accidentally signed the signature verification certificate with my nickname instead of my full legal name due to habit. Is that a problem?
ringo tax corporation
Japanese Certified Public Accountant ・Tax Accountant Hiroya Aihara
Ringo Tax Corporation
A: Principally, if the signature is authenticated under a commonly used name, there is no problem. The signature verification certificate serves as an alternative document to the seal registration certificate in Japan and is used when there is no registered address in Japan. Regarding the signature, there is no need to demand identity or relevance to the real name. In other words, even if the signature is done with a commonly used name instead of the real name, it is valid as a signature verification certificate.
Q: How is the signature verification certificate used in company establishment?
A: In the establishment of a company, a seal registration certificate or a signature verification certificate is required as an attachment for documents necessary for the initiators or officers. In procedures at notary offices or the Legal Affairs Bureau, it is crucial that the signature authenticated on the signature verification certificate matches the signature required on the documents. Therefore, care should be taken not to sign differently from the authenticated signature when signing.
Q: Are there any considerations regarding the relevance between the signature on the signature verification certificate and the real name?
A:
Although the signature verification certificate is used as a substitute for the Japanese seal registration certificate, notary offices or the Legal Affairs Bureau responsible for registration may not uniformly judge this. If there is a significant difference between the real name and the signature at the time of acquisition, it is safer to check the validity of the signature verification certificate with the notary office or Legal Affairs Bureau where it will be submitted.
