Although 'Certified Copy of Resident Record' and 'Photocopy of Resident Record' are different, they are confusing. => Please submit the resident record issued by the municipal office or convenience store as is (photocopies are not accepted).

In short, this is a story about how the terms "Certified Copy of Resident Record" and "Photocopy of Resident Record" are confusing even though they are different things.

The official documents issued by the municipal office are

• ✅ Certified Copy of Resident Record (official certificate)

• ❌ Photocopy of Resident Record (a piece of paper you copied yourself from that official document)

and they are completely different.

What is a "certified copy"?

In legal terms, a "certified copy" means

is the meaning.

In the case of a resident record,

• paper issued by the city office or via convenience store issuance

• which has an official seal or certification number

this is the Certified Copy of Resident Record.

In other words,

it is an official certificate at the moment it is issued by the municipal office.

What is a "photocopy"?

For example, a resident record you received at the municipal office

that you copied at a convenience store or scanned and printed at home.

Since this is just a reproduction,

it has no certification capability.

Why the request for an 'original' is confusing

In fact, for a resident record,

the data stored by the municipal office (formerly paper)

is the true original.

Ordinary citizens cannot take this out.

Therefore,

Company: 'Please submit the original resident record'

even when told this,

strictly speaking,

.

Municipal staff will explain,

'We cannot issue the original. What we can issue is a copy of the resident record.'

and explain it this way.

But what does the company actually mean?

The company's true intention is

That is all.

In other words,

That is all that needs to be said, but

due to long-standing custom

which causes confusion.

This is why conversations go like this:

Company

↓

Municipal Office

↓

User

↓

Municipal Office

This infinite loop occurs.

The clearest way to put it

in practice is

This is the least confusing way to put it.

The topic being discussed is not so much about 'the municipal office staff being at fault' or 'the company being at fault,' but rather sharing the confusion over the fact that the legal term 'utsushi' (certified copy) and the everyday term 'copy' do not align, and the continued habitual misuse of the word 'original'.

💡 Past and Present: Why does this trouble continue even now?

In the past, when resident records were managed in 'paper ledgers,' companies requested not the 'ledger itself (the original)' but 'what the municipal office had transcribed from it.' That is the legal term 'utsushi' (certified copy). As time passed and 'photocopiers' became widespread, the everyday term 'copy' and the legal term 'utsushi' became mixed up. Furthermore, because submission recipients continue to use the word 'original' out of long-standing custom, it continues to be a frequently shared 'common occurrence' on the internet as of 2026, causing ongoing confusion.

A language trap? The truth that 'Certified Copy of Resident Record' and 'Photocopy of Resident Record' are completely different things

When submitting documents to schools or companies, you are often told to 'submit a resident record.' However, this is where a language mismatch occurs, causing many people to fall into great confusion, wondering, 'Wait, what does that mean?'

The problem is that 'Certified Copy of Resident Record (official document)' and 'Photocopy of Resident Record (just a reproduction)' are as different as heaven and earth, yet the terms are far too confusing. To ensure we don't embarrass ourselves in society, and to avoid getting caught in the 'infinite loop' between municipal offices and companies, I will clearly organize the truly important things you need to know!

📌 'Truly Important Things'

• Misunderstanding the term 'utsushi': In everyday life, 'utsushi' brings to mind a 'copy (reproduction),' but in the legal world, it means an 'official certificate that is a direct transcription of the municipal office's data (the original).'

• Ordinary people cannot possess the 'original': The true original of a resident record is the data within the municipal office's server (formerly a paper ledger). Therefore, even if a company tells you to 'bring the original,' it is physically impossible to take the original out.

• Translating the company's true intent: The 'original' that a company refers to is not the original in the strict sense, but means 'bring the official paper (certified copy of resident record) issued by the municipal office or convenience store as is, without making a copy yourself.'

🔍 Facts and Language Mismatch

This problem is a tragedy born from Japanese custom, where everyone involved uses their own 'correct terminology,' which conversely leads to a misunderstanding.

【会社側の言い分（慣習）】
「コピーじゃなくて、役所でとってきた本物の紙を出してほしいから…」
  ⇒ 伝える言葉：『住民票の「原本」を持ってきて！』

       ↓（利用者が役所の窓口へ行く）

【役所側の言い分（法律・実務）】
「サーバーにあるデータが原本だから、それはお渡しできません…」
  ⇒ 伝える言葉：『原本は出せません。「写し」の交付になります』

       ↓（利用者の大混乱）

【利用者の戸惑い】
会社には「原本」と言われ、役所には「写し（＝コピー？）」と言われた。
混乱して、もらった「写し」をコンビニで「コピー」して会社に提出してしまう…
  ⇒ 会社から『これコピーじゃん！原本（写し）持ってきて！』と怒られる無限ループ。