For hundreds of years, Japanese people have used name stamps, known as hanko, to sign their name. People use hanko in everyday situations, such as receiving a parcel, and in formal contexts ...

It will remove hanko requirements in cases where documents currently need to be stamped with personal seals, such as requests for copies of residence certificates, official notifications of moving ...

Despite the official ... cheaper stamps from Chinese online shopping giant Taobao. (Taobao is operated by Alibaba, owner of the South China Morning Post.) After all, customising seals - from ...

So, it has decided to keep allowing the use of the personal seals, though they'll no longer be mandatory. The space on marriage, divorce and other forms to be submitted to authorities for people ...