Free Japan Visa Photo Photo Maker

A Japan visa photo must be 45×45 mm — square format, unique among major countries. The face from chin to crown must measure 32–36 mm (about 71–80% of photo height). Japan uses the same square spec for visas and passports, which is unusual — most countries use 35×45 mm rectangular for visas.

Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs adopted the square 45×45 mm format historically and never moved to the international ICAO 35×45 mm rectangular standard. The square format is also used for Japanese national ID cards and passports, so it's consistent within Japan but different from every other major country's visa photo spec.

Plain white only. Japanese consulates strictly reject light grey, off-white, beige, or any color cast from poor lighting. No patterns, no textures, no shadows. The white background must be uniform — Japan is more strict than Schengen on this point.

Glasses are technically allowed but strongly discouraged. The MOFA recommends removing glasses to prevent reflections, frame interference with eye visibility, or flash glare. If you do wear glasses, frames must not cover the eyes, and there must be no glare. Sunglasses or tinted lenses are never accepted.

Within the last 6 months. Japanese consulates check for recent likeness. Photos older than 6 months are reliably rejected even if you look identical. Submit a fresh photo for each application.

Yes. Japan uses identical photo specs for all visa categories: tourist (短期滞在), work, student, spouse, business — all 45×45 mm square with the same rules. The difference is in supporting documents, not the photo itself.

Inside Japan, photo booths (証明写真機) at every train station and konbini take perfect Japan-spec photos for ¥800–1500. Outside Japan, most pharmacy chains will resize on request, but the safer route is to format the 45×45 mm spec yourself with a country-specific tool and order a 4×6 print (the 45×45 mm photo fits on a 4×6 with crop marks for $0.14–$0.39).

You don't need a Japan visa if you're a Japanese citizen — Japan's visa system applies to foreign nationals. If you're a foreign national who needs a Japan visa, your home country's passport photo will likely have different proportions (usually 35×45 mm rectangular). Format a fresh 45×45 mm square photo for the Japanese consulate.