Ministry of Justice (MOJ) Official Guide: Contact Information, Historical Evolution, and Core Functions

I. Agency Overview

• Japanese full name: 法務省 (Hōmushō)
• English full name: Ministry of Justice (MOJ)
• Abbreviation: 法務省
• Date of establishment: February 15, 1948 (Shōwa 23) (based on the Ministry of Justice Establishment Act; its predecessor was the Ministry of Justice established in 1947)
• Headquarters location: 1-1-1 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8977
• Official website: https://www.moj.go.jp
• Main switchboard: +81-3-3580-4111 (representative)
• Main public contact window: Ministry of Justice Public Relations Division (Telephone: +81-3-3580-4111 extensions 2110/2111; Email: can be submitted via the "Inquiries" form on the official website)

II. Summary of Historical Evolution

• The predecessor of Japan's Ministry of Justice can be traced back to the Ministry of Justice (Shihōshō) established in 1871 during the Meiji era.
• After the war, under the Constitution of Japan and the new judicial system, the Ministry of Justice was abolished in 1947, and the Ministry of Justice Agency (Hōmuchō) was established in the same year.
• In 1948, the Ministry of Justice Agency was upgraded to the Ministry of Justice, becoming one of the central government ministries.
• Since then, through multiple administrative reforms (such as the 2001 reorganization of central government ministries), the organizational structure and functions of the Ministry of Justice have continued to be adjusted, but its core mission—maintaining the rule of law, managing immigration, and protecting human rights—has remained unchanged.
• As of 2026, the Immigration Services Agency (established in 2019) under the Ministry of Justice has become one of its departments with the greatest international influence.

III. Contact Information at a Glance

• Official website: https://www.moj.go.jp
• Main switchboard: +81-3-3580-4111 (representative)
• Main public contact window: Ministry of Justice Public Relations Division
• Telephone: +81-3-3580-4111 extensions 2110/2111
• Email: can be submitted via the "Inquiries" form on the official website