Japan Passport Photo Size & Requirements
MOFA's spec is 35×45mm, head height 34mm ±2mm (32-36mm), on a plain, light-coloured background. Photo must be less than 6 months old.
Same size and background rules — infant mode swaps the crop guide for a lay-flat framing box. See our infant photo guide.
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JPEG, PNG, or HEIC · nothing is uploaded, it stays on your device
or
Center your face in the oval, with your eyes on the yellow line
Converting HEIC photo…
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This photo is smaller than the recommended output size, so the download may look slightly soft when printed.
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Blue band = acceptable head-height range · yellow dashed = eye line · fit your head between the solid lines
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Background removal didn't work on this photo/browser. You can still crop and download as usual.
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Japan passport photo specification
- Print size
- 35×45mm (1.38×1.77 in)
- Digital output
- 630×810px
- Head height (chin to crown)
- 32–36mm (71–80% of frame)
- Background
- Plain, light-coloured background (white in practice), no shadows
- ·Head height (chin to crown), 34mm ±2mm — i.e. 32-36mm
- ·Neutral expression, mouth closed, no smiling, both eyes open, looking straight at the camera
- ·Plain, light-coloured background with no shadows
- ·No hat or head covering; glasses are permitted but discouraged — if worn, no glare and frames must not cover the eyes
- ·Taken within the last 6 months
- ·Online Mynaportal passport applications require a separately-cropped digital file at 600x730px, a different aspect ratio from the 35x45mm print spec — this tool covers the standard print/embassy-counter size
Sources: Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) passport-photo specification page and an Embassy of Japan official PDF (both corroborated via search-engine summarization this session, since mofa.go.jp and every emb-japan.go.jp mirror returned HTTP 403 to direct fetch attempts — re-verify directly before the next revision if possible), plus a directly-confirmed fetch of faq.myna.go.jp for the separate Mynaportal online-application digital spec. The standard print/counter photo is 35x45mm with a 32-36mm (34mm ±2mm) head height on a plain, light-coloured background — but if you're applying online through Mynaportal rather than in person or by post, that system requires its own 600x730px digital crop at a different aspect ratio, not simply this print photo rasterized.
Applying online through Mynaportal? Read this first
Japan's Mynaportal online passport-application system requires its own digital photo crop: 600×730px, JPEG, under 600KB. That's a genuinely different aspect ratio from the standard 35×45mm print photo (0.822 vs. 0.778) — not the same photo simply resized. This tool crops to the standard 35×45mm size used for in-person and postal applications. If you're applying through Mynaportal, you'll need a separate crop at that system's own ratio.
Background: plain and light, not necessarily light blue
Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) specification calls for a plain, light-coloured background with no shadows — white in practice. Light blue is sometimes claimed online, but doesn't appear in the official specification, so this tool defaults to white.
Related photo requirements
Common rejection reasons
Background isn’t plain or uniform
Shadows, patterns, furniture, or other people in frame are among the most common reasons photos get bounced back. Use a plain wall and even, shadow-free lighting.
Head size or position is off
Too zoomed in, too zoomed out, or off-center. Each country specifies an exact head-height range and crown position, and that's exactly what the crop guide in this tool aligns to.
Glasses, glare, or head coverings
Most countries now disallow glasses entirely (or require them glare-free with no frame over the eyes), and disallow non-religious head coverings that hide the hairline or face.
Photo is filtered, retouched, or AI-enhanced
Beauty filters, background blur, skin smoothing, and AI-generated backgrounds are explicitly rejected by several passport authorities, including the UK’s HM Passport Office.
Photo is outdated
Most countries require a photo taken within the last 6 months (the UK requires within the last month). An old photo, even a good one, can be rejected on this basis alone.
Expression or eye contact issues
Closed eyes, mouth open, smiling with teeth showing, or not looking straight at the camera are all common rejection triggers. A neutral, closed-mouth expression is the safe default.
Want the full picture across every country? See all passport photo requirements for 2026, read how to take a passport photo at home, or check what to wear and expression rules.
Frequently asked questions
What size is a Japanese passport photo?
35x45mm, with head height (chin to crown) of 34mm ±2mm — that is, 32-36mm. This matches Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) published specification.
What background does a Japanese passport photo need?
A plain, light-coloured background with no shadows — white in practice. Light blue is sometimes claimed online but isn't stated in the official MOFA specification.
What are the Japanese passport photo requirements?
A recent (within 6 months) colour photo, 35x45mm, with a neutral expression, mouth closed, both eyes open and visible, no hat, and a plain light-coloured background with no shadows. Glasses are allowed but discouraged, and mustn't cause glare or cover your eyes if worn.
Is the digital photo spec different for an online Japanese passport application?
Yes. If you apply through Mynaportal, Japan's online government portal, the required digital file is 600x730px, JPEG, under 600KB — a different aspect ratio from the standard 35x45mm print spec, not just the same photo resized. This tool crops to the standard 35x45mm size used for in-person and postal applications; a Mynaportal application needs a separate crop at that system's own ratio.
What is the Japanese passport photo size in inches and pixels?
About 1.38x1.77in, or 35x45mm — the same physical size as the UK and Schengen visa photo. This tool exports it at 630x810 pixels.
Does this tool upload my photo anywhere?
No. All the cropping and resizing happens locally in your browser using the canvas element, so your photo is read from your device, processed there, and never transmitted anywhere.
Can you smile in a Japanese passport photo?
No. The standard calls for a neutral expression with your mouth closed, same as most biometric photo standards. See our guide to smiling in a passport photo for what counts as neutral.
Are the requirements different for a baby or infant Japanese passport photo?
The size and background rules stay the same, but a baby obviously can't hold a neutral, forward-facing pose unassisted. See our newborn and infant passport photo guide for how that's usually handled.