Japan · passport
Japan passport photo, checked against the MOFA specification
The Japanese passport photo is 35 mm wide by 45 mm tall with unusually tight framing: the head (crown to chin) must measure 34±2 mm, with 4±2 mm of space above the crown and 7±2 mm below the chin. The background should be plain white, or a plain pale blue, with no gradients or shadows.
- Size
- 35×45 mm
- Digital file
- 413×531 px JPEG
- Background
- white
- Head height
- 71.1–80%
- Price
- €5.99 · once
Select country and document
Step 1/3
Popular: · ·
- Head size62.4% · 50–69%
- Eye line61.2% · 56–69%
- Backgroundwhite · σ 6
- Lightingeven
- Resolution1832px
MEETS SPEC · ESTIMATED
Checked against the official specification, with the source cited on every document.
Worth knowing: Japan's spec has a special rule for voluminous hair: if your hair extends well above your head, the crown position is deemed to be your eye line plus the eye-to-chin distance. The checker uses your facial landmarks, which is how examiners apply the rule.
How our Japan Passport photo tool works
Add a photo you already have and we measure it against the official Japan Passport specification (35×45 mm, 413×531 px, white background), then produce the exact files you need. Checking is free; you pay €5.99 only if you want the files.
Add your photo
A selfie or any recent photo of yourself, straight from your phone.
See every measurement
Ten checks run against the official spec and show you the numbers.
Fix what's off
Drag to reposition and zoom to resize, or retake the photo if something can't be fixed.
Download your files
Exact digital file, print-ready sheet and compliance report.
What is a Japan Passport photo?
A Japanese passport photo is a 35 mm × 45 mm borderless colour photograph, taken within the last six months, with the head measuring 34±2 mm from crown to chin, 4±2 mm of space above the crown and 7±2 mm below the chin. These are some of the tightest framing tolerances of any passport. The background is plain white or pale blue with no shadows.
Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs publishes no pixel dimensions, so compliance rests entirely on framing geometry. Booths and studios in Japan handle that automatically; self-made photos frequently miss it. Online applications through Mynaportal accept a JPG up to 600 KB, and overseas online applications accept 20 KB to 2 MB.
MOFA publishes no pixel dimensions, so most rejections are about framing, not resolution. This page measures your crown margin, chin margin and head height, then delivers a print-ready 35×45 mm sheet and a digital file sized for Mynaportal's 600 KB limit.
Japan Passport photo requirements
| Size | 35×45 mm · 413×531 px @300 DPI |
|---|---|
| Digital file | 413×531px JPEG · max 600 KB |
| Background | white |
| Head height | 71.1–80% of frame height |
| Digital upload | accepted |
| Background editing | not permitted, so we leave yours as it is |
- Crown-to-chin 34±2 mm, 4±2 mm above the crown, 7±2 mm below the chin. Those margins are tighter than in most 35×45 mm countries.
- MOFA publishes no pixel dimensions; domestic Mynaportal uploads are JPG up to 600 KB (overseas online: 20 KB–2 MB).
- White background recommended (plain pale blue accepted); no gradients or shadows.
Source: official requirements · verified 2026-07
Japan Passport photos that pass the checks
Thin frames, no glare, eyes fully visible 
Even light, plain background, neutral expression 
Infant alone in frame, eyes open, plain sheet 
Religious head covering with the full face visible 
Hair back, forehead and both ears clear
Japan Passport photos that don't pass
Head tilted, hard shadow on the background 
Taken too far away, head too small in the frame 
Someone else's hand in the frame 
Patterned wall and furniture behind
Illustrative examples created for this guide. They are not customer photos, and not decisions by any authority.
What you get for €5.99
- High-resolution file in the exact spec (413×531px, under 600 KB)
- Printable compliance report with everything we measured
- Print-ready 10×15 cm sheet with 4 copies and cut lines
one-time payment, no subscription
Photos that pass
- Exact dimensions: 413×531px
- Plain white background, evenly lit
- Head filling 71.1–80% of the frame
- Taken in the last 6 months, neutral expression
Photos that get rejected
- Edited, filtered or AI-retouched photos
- Shadows on the face or background
- Busy walls, gradients or the wrong background colour
- Head too large, too small, or off-centre
- Glare on glasses or tinted lenses
- Old photos, or photos of printed photos
Why use PassportClerk for your Japan Passport photo
- Convenience
- Make it at home from a photo you already have, without booking a studio or queueing for a booth. You get a file sized for the official upload and a print sheet for the times you need paper.
- Built from the official specification
- Every measurement on this page comes from the official Japan Passport requirements, and the source is linked, dated and re-checked.
- Works from any phone
- Nothing to install. A recent phone camera and a plain wall are enough.
- You see the numbers
- Head height, eye line, background and resolution are all measured and shown to you before you pay.
- Private, then deleted
- We only receive your photo if you buy, and everything is deleted within 48 hours.
If the files we produce don't match the specification on this page, we'll fix them or refund you. The decision on any application always rests with the issuing authority.
Frequently asked questions
What size is a Japanese passport photo?
35×45 mm (width × height), borderless, taken within the last 6 months. The head must be 32–36 mm from crown to chin, with 2–6 mm above the crown and 5–9 mm below the chin. Our checker shows each measurement as you adjust the crop.
Can I submit my Japanese passport photo online?
Yes. Domestic online applications via Mynaportal accept a JPG up to 600 KB; overseas online applications accept jpg, bmp or png between 20 KB and 2 MB. The digital file we deliver fits both limits.
White or blue background for a Japanese passport photo?
White is recommended and always safe; a plain pale blue is also accepted. Gradients, patterns and shadows are rejected. We measure background uniformity in the live check.
Are glasses allowed?
MOFA recommends removing glasses. If worn, there must be no glare, no tinted lenses, and the frames must not cover any part of the eyes. Hats and hair accessories that change your face outline are not allowed except for religious or medical reasons.
What about the 'big hair' rule?
If hair volume makes the true crown ambiguous, Japan defines the crown as your eye line plus the distance from your eyes to your chin. This stops tall hairstyles from forcing an artificially small face, and our measurement follows the same definition.
How we handle compliance
- We check your photo against the official rules. We never retouch your face, and we only normalize the background where the destination country permits it.
- Every requirement is cited from official government sources, with the verification date shown on the page.
- What you get is a report of measurements, not a guarantee. Final acceptance always rests with the issuing authority.
official requirements · verified 2026-07