CONTRIBUTED BY EDWARD WINSLOW
This is a review of a certified translation office that translated my affidavit from English to Japanese and helped complete our marriage application in order to submit it to the city office. The office is in Minato, Chatan, close to the Sunabe Seawall.
First off, getting married in Japan isn’t the easiest process. After I searched on the web and found several sites offering information, I thought that Okinawa Translator’s website with this PDF gave the best explanation.
The translation team of David Higgins and his Okinawan wife, Hazuki Yamashiro, are a great combination. In fact, Okinawa is so small that my wife and his both come from the same village!
After they translated my affidavit, my wife and I visited their office again where they helped us complete the marriage application. Although my wife is Okinawan, she was uncertain how to complete the marriage application because I am American.
I was impressed with the knowledge they had regarding American/American citizens marrying in Japan versus Japanese/American citizens. After going to the legal services office on base and reading the U.S. embassy’s website, I felt that Okinawa Translator had a clearer explanation of what I needed to bring to the city office. For example, the legal services office indicated I needed to get my birth certificate translated, but because I had a passport, that was all I really needed.
Regarding cost, I had researched all other translation offices and found that Okinawa Translator had the most competitive and best rates.
I would most certainly recommend this office to any U.S. service member wanting to tie the knot on Okinawa and complete the paperwork without any hassles.
Phone: 050-5534-5965
Address: Japan, Okinawa Prefecture, Nakagami District, Chatan, Minato, １０−２０
Payment: Yen only. Cost is 5,000 yen for a single document, and 4,000 yen for each additional document.
Website: Okinawa Translator
Dave was awesome! I needed an official document translated and apostilled very quickly so that I could get married in Denmark. Dave was always accessible, kept me informed and responded to my emails right away.
I am a Senior Human Resources Manager and would like to say that his professionalism, experience, and knowledge is top notch- as good as it gets! I would definitely recommend his services to anyone!
Thank you, Rodney
Dave thanks for your high quality work, blazing fast service, and speedy shipment to my address in Germany! I received a perfect original copy of my divorce decree and (2) professionally translated copies with an embossed and raised seal and Japanese stamp as requested. Thanks a million…Literally! 😉 Okinawa Translator keep up the great work!
Dave,
Thank you so much we got our translation and marriage documents in a very timely manner! My wife and I really appreciate the speed and quality of your services. I will definitely recommend your business to others needing the same help as us.
Regards,
Matt
Dave Higgins gets a 5 star rating from me! He was able to retrieve and translate my Mother’s birth records from the 1930’s and my parents marriage certificate from the 1950’s. Dave is very professional and he kept me posted all thru the entire process. Being in the U.S. I could not imagine getting these much need documents without Dave Higgins at Okinawa Translator!
Dave and his wife Hazuki are amazing people! They helped me and my wife with the paperwork before and after getting married. They are very personable and helpful and know what they are doing…I wouldn’t go anywhere else in Okinawa except to them for any translated documents I need. Their office was centrally located and easy to find, and I never had to wait! Thank you so much and our marriage is wonderful
Dave Higgins is great! My wife and I married in 1999. We came back to the states and 14 years later our marriage certificate was lost in a move. We never thought we would be able to replace it without returning to okinawa. That’s when we found Dave on the internet. He worked very hard and we had our marriage certificate in just a few short weeks. We can’t thank Dave enough. Thanks Dave, hopefully we will not be needing your services again but if we do there is no one else we would trust.
I LOVE DAVE HIGGINS LOL he is great very informative and quick with his responses to questions and concerns which I didn’t have any of I needed important certificates found and translated and he did so With haste. Do use him hes amazing.
I recently visited Okinawa Translator because my husband is taking his U.S. Spec motorcycle with a Japanese title back to the States. He has taken a motorcycle back before and we knew that the title would have to be translated into English in order to title and register the bike in the U.S. I left the title with Mr. Higgins on a Wednesday afternoon and he called me letting me know it was ready to pick up the next morning. When I did not understand a date on the document, he took the time to explain it to me. His and his wife’s services are invaluable to Americans living on Okinawa!
Hi, what if the the us military is going to marry a foreigner too but not a US citizen, is it possible to do it in Okinawa? Thanks will greatly appreciate your response
Hi Carla,
Yes, we help with the marriage process with many different countries. You can email me directly okinawatranslator@gmail.com and I can help you with the details. We start by calling the city office
nearest to your local address and finding out what are the requirements for that citizen to get married
in Okinawa, Japan.
Hope this helps, – David
Cannot recommend David Higgins enough. He was phenomenal though out the entire process of adoption our son from Japan. He was always responsive, helpful and prompt in translating documents for the Japanese Family Court and US Customs and Immigration. Dave was always professional and responsive, grateful to have his services here on island.
David Higgins did an outstanding job for my wife and with the apostille and translation process. He was very professional and thorough. I would use his service again in a heartbeat. Great experience!!
My first marriage in Japan was very difficult. It seemed no one knew what was going on! I moved to Okinawa after being separated (not legally due to the frustration of not knowing how to). I researched and found David Higgins and his wife Hazuki. They guided me through my divorce process with the proper documentation. I was very happy to not only meet, but share their knowledge with me! They’ve since helped me finish my divorce legally, with the proper translated documents. I’m hoping in the future to deal with them again.
Great write up on these two! I’ve used Mr. David Higgins and his wife to help me translate several international documents and have always received fast and courteous service!! 10/10 for Okinawa Translator!
David and Hazuki are very courteous hard workers. Thier knowledge of the marriage process is better than many of the staff on base and various city offices. Other translators I have talked to say their translations are spot on. I have watched this little office support others like myself over the past year and would recommend their services to any newly engaged couple.