The Hiroshima City Partnership Oath System

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The City of Hiroshima strives to create a society where each and every person’s human rights are respected by their fellow citizens and diversity is embraced; a society where everyone can express their identity and abilities to the fullest as an individual.

The Hiroshima City Partnership Oath System is one of the ways we aim to create such a society. This system allows couples, in which one or both partners are of a sexual minority, to submit a Written Oath jointly proclaiming that they acknowledge each other as their life partners and that they support one another in their daily lives. In doing so, the City of Hiroshima will issue Partnership Oath Certificates and Partnership Oath Cards.

While this system does not offer any legal force, we hope that recognition of these relationships by the municipal government will not only further raise social awareness of sexual minorities, but will also help to create a society in which sexual minorities can live their lives with peace of mind.

Eligibility criteria

Couples, in which one or both partners are sexual minorities, are eligible if either partner is registered as living in Hiroshima City or is planning to move to Hiroshima City (within 14 days) and they meet the following criteria:

Both are legal adults
Neither is married (including common-law marriages)
Neither has pledged an Oath with another individual
They are not close relatives; i.e., lineal relatives (a direct ancestor and descendent) by blood, collateral relatives (not lineal) by blood within the third degree of kinship, or lineal relatives by marriage.
Note: couples can still pledge an Oath if they are, or were, related via adoption.

How to pledge your partnership oath

For detailed information about the Hiroshima City Partnership Oath System, please see the Hiroshima City Partnership Oath System Guidebook.

1. Make an appointment

Make an appointment via phone, fax, or email at least one week (as a general rule) before the day you want to pledge your Oath. Appointments can be made Monday to Friday between 8:30 am and 4:15 pm (excluding New Year holidays, national holidays, and 8/6).

Contact the following office to make an appointment:

Human Rights Education Division
Human Rights Education Department
Citizens Affairs Bureau
(14F, Hiroshima City Hall)

Tel: 082-504-2165
Fax: 082-504-2609
Email: jinken@city.hiroshima.lg.jp
Address: 1-6-34 Kokutaiji-machi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima

When making an appointment, please tell us the following information:

You and your partner’s names, dates of birth, and addresses
The date and time you want to pledge your Oath
Telephone number or email address that can be used to contact you during the day

2. Procedures on the day

Please come to City Hall together with your partner at the time you have reserved to fill out and complete your Written Oath. The document used for the Written Oath will be prepared by the City. If documentation is all in order, it should take around one hour to issue your Partnership Oath Certificates and Partnership Oath Cards.

宣誓書受領証の画像　

(Partnership Oath Certificate)

宣誓書受領カードの画像

(Partnership Oath Card)

Where do we submit our Written Oath?

Human Rights Education Division
Human Rights Education Department
Citizens Affairs Bureau
(14F, Hiroshima City Hall)

Tel: 082-504-2165
Fax: 082-504-2609
Address: 1-6-34 Kokutaiji-machi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima

Where do we pledge our Oath?

You will pledge your Oath at a site specified by the City.

3. Required documents

Resident Record (住民票//Jūminhyō) or Certificate of Entries Recorded in Resident Record (住民票記載事項証明書//Jūminhyō kisaijikō shōmeisho), with no Individual Number (My Number) printed
Individual record from your family register (戸籍抄本//Koseki shōhon) or similar
A form of ID (e.g., driver's license or passport)
A document that verifies your alias (if you want to use an alias)

Important points

If your Partnership Oath Certificate/Card is lost, damaged, or soiled beyond use, you can apply for it to be reissued.
If there are any changes to the information on your Written Oath, for example a change of address or name, please submit Form 5, Notification of Change of Entries Written on Partnership Oaths.
Partnership Oath Certificates/Cards are issued free of charge (applicants are responsible for any issuing fees incurred when obtaining Resident Records and other necessary documents).
In consideration of your privacy, Partnership Oath procedures will be carried out in a private room, as a general rule.
The paperwork for your Oath can be completed using an alias (please note that you will need to provide documents that verify that you use this alias in your everyday life).
Both individuals who wish to pledge an Oath to one another must be present.

Returning certificates and cards

Please submit Form 6, Notification of Return of Partnership Oath Certificates/Cards, and return certificates/cards if any of the following circumstances occur:

You have dissolved your partnership
Your partner has passed away
You both no longer live in Hiroshima City
Your Partnership Oath has become invalid
You no longer meet other eligibility criteria

Certificate of entries written on partnership oaths

If you need a Certificate of Entries Written on Partnership Oaths, please submit Form 7, Application for Issuance of a Certificate of Entries Written on Partnership Oaths.

Mutual agreements with other municipalities

If you and your partner move to a municipality that has concluded a mutual agreement regarding the Hiroshima City Partnership Oath System, you may be able to continue to use your Partnership Oath Certificates/Cards issued by the City of Hiroshima in your new municipality. Please submit Form 9, Application for Continued Use of Partnership Oath Certificates/Cards, to the City of Hiroshima. For more information, please contact the Human Rights Education Division (Tel: 082-504-2165).