Japan Passenger Lists - FamilySearch Historical Records

Japan

What is in This Collection?
This collection contains a list of Japanese emigrants from the country as recorded by the Diplomatic Record Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. The records are from an index of overseas travelers processed through Japanese emigration agents and related immigration papers for the years 1893-1941.

These records are used to identify the permanent domicile of the head of the household, which is helpful in obtaining the koseki, the Japanese word for a family registry. These records are good linkage records. They are particularly helpful for American researchers who are trying to determine where their Japanese ancestor came from.

Japanese emigration records were generated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japanese Diplomacy office at the time when people emigrated from Japan.

Reading These Records
These records are in Japanese. For help reading these records see the following guides:


 * Japanese to English Translation

What Can these Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:

Passenger lists
 * Full name of passenger
 * Address
 * Date of birth
 * Date of departure
 * Gender
 * Destination
 * Residence

Emigration
 * Passport Number
 * Full Name
 * Prefecture
 * Birth Date
 * Gender
 * Residence before departure
 * Date of Departure
 * Departure Age
 * Destination Place

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of the person you are looking for
 * Approximate date of arrival

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * If you are wondering what to do next with the record you found, be sure to look at all of the information on other family records. This information will help you figure out relationships and form family groups
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives in the same county or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family or even the second marriage of a parent. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify

I Can’t Find The Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * Use the age to calculate an approximate birth date
 * Find the place of birth for your ancestor
 * Use the residence to locate census records
 * Use the destination information to look for immigration records
 * If you are unable to find your ancestor, search for your ancestor’s nickname and various spellings of the name

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in Japan.
 * Record Finder
 * Research Tips and Strategies

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.