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Japan Passport Photo Maker

Upload any photo: the tool removes your existing background, drops in the plain white background required for Japan passport, and produces a spec-exact 35×45mm image ready to submit.

Drop your photo hereChoose your photo
or click anywhere in this box to choose a photo

JPG, PNG, HEIC or WebP · Max 25 MB · Face forward, eyes on the camera.

100% private: deleted after processing Free preview, $3 to download or included on Pro Spec-exact 35×45mm output

How to make a Japan passport photo in 3 steps

Upload any photo of yourself, and the tool handles the entire Japan passport spec pipeline, background removal, colour swap, spec-exact crop, file-size compression, in one pass.

1

Start from a photo you already have

A phone shot against any wall works, because the background gets replaced. Japan accepts a photo taken within the last 6 months, so an older picture will not pass.

2

Background replaced with plain white

Your outline, including hair and clothing edges, is separated from the original photo and composited onto the plain white that Japan requires for a passport.

3

Cropped to 35×45mm at 300 DPI

That is 413×531 pixels (1.38×1.77 inches). The head is placed 32-36mm from chin to crown, 71-80% of the frame height. Drag the crop box if you want the face sitting differently in the frame.

Understanding the Japan passport spec

Japanese passport photographs are 35×45mm on a plain white background, with the head 32-36mm from chin to crown and roughly 4-6mm of clearance above the hair. MOFA specifies white, which sets Japan apart from the European standard next door in the ordering: a grey-background photo made for a Schengen application is refused here. Japan is also explicit that the image must not be heavily retouched: the photograph has to match the face that will be compared against it at immigration, so skin smoothing and feature reshaping are rejection grounds even when the dimensions are perfect.

Dimensions
35×45 mm
1.38 × 1.77 in
Resolution
300 DPI
Print-ready
Background
plain white
AI-swapped
Head height
32–36 mm
Chin to crown

Requirements at a glance

  • 35x45mm, colour
  • Plain white background: MOFA specifically requires white
  • Head 32-36mm chin to crown
  • Face centered, eyes open, mouth closed
  • No head coverings (religious exception applies)
  • Sharp focus, not overly retouched
  • Photo less than 6 months old

Common mistakes that get photos rejected

  • Grey background: MOFA requires white
  • Head positioned off-centre
  • Over-retouched skin (rejected)

Where Japan passport photos are actually used

Japan has moved part of the process online: passport renewals can be filed through Mynaportal using a My Number Card, with the photograph uploaded rather than printed. First applications and several other cases still go through a prefectural passport centre with a physical photo. The head-height range of 32-36mm is the same as the Schengen states, Korea and France, so the crop transfers; only the background colour has to change. Going the other way, a Japanese white-background photo will not satisfy France or the Netherlands, both of which refuse white.

Applications that accept this photo spec

  • Japanese passport application at a prefectural passport centre
  • Passport renewal, including online renewal through Mynaportal
  • Applications lodged at a Japanese embassy or consulate
  • Supporting documents for residence and family register matters
  • Visa applications made on a Japanese passport

Japan passport photo FAQ

White or grey background for a Japanese passport photo?

White. MOFA specifies a plain white background, and grey is a common rejection. This is the opposite of France and the Netherlands, which refuse white and require a light grey background, so photos do not transfer between them without reshooting or replacing the background.

Will a retouched or filtered photo be accepted?

No. Japan explicitly rejects over-retouched images. Cropping, resizing and replacing the background do not alter your features and are fine. Filters that smooth skin, enlarge eyes or reshape the jaw do, and are grounds for refusal: turn beauty mode off before you take the photo.

What size is a Japan passport photo?

35×45mm (1.38×1.77 inches) at 300 DPI, on a plain white background. The head must measure 32-36mm from chin to the top of the head.

What background color does Japan require for passport photos?

Plain white. A background that does not match, the wrong shade, a gradient, a shadow cast behind you, or any visible texture or pattern, is one of the most common reasons a photo is sent back. This tool replaces whatever is behind you with the one the spec asks for.

Can I take a Japan passport photo with my phone?

Yes. Modern phone cameras produce more than enough resolution for the 35×45mm output. What matters is even lighting (no harsh shadows on your face), a straight-on angle, and a neutral expression. This tool handles the background and sizing.

What file size does this tool produce?

The output JPEG is kept under 240 KB while preserving the 300 DPI resolution the spec requires. Upload limits vary between government portals and consulates, so check the one you are filing through: if it caps lower, use our Image Compressor to reduce further.

Is my uploaded photo saved on your servers?

No. It is processed in memory and discarded as soon as the result is produced. The background model runs on the server because it is too large to run in a browser; nothing is written to disk or logged.

Can I print the Japan passport photo at home?

Yes. The output is a 300 DPI JPEG at exactly 35×45mm, so any inkjet or laser printer produces the correct physical size when you print at 100% scale (not "fit to page"). Use the 4×6 print sheet option to get multiple copies on one sheet of photo paper.

Do I need to sign up or pay?

No sign-up. Making the photo and checking it against the spec is free, guests get 2 a day and a free account 5 a day, 10 a month. The finished photo without the watermark is $3, paid once, or included on Pro and Business plans.

What if the background removal is not perfect?

Hair, clothing edges and skin tones come out cleanly in most photos. If an edge looks wrong, re-shoot in indirect daylight, or skip the background swap and use the crop alone.
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