Preserve the seven-digit postcode
Japanese postal codes contain seven digits and are commonly displayed with a hyphen after the third digit. Keep any leading zeros. A code identifies a postal area and may not uniquely identify a building or apartment.
Do not lose the smaller address parts
The locality, block, building and room information help distinguish the destination. Use the address provided by the recipient. Converting the writing order is different from translating the place names; our formatter does not translate an address.
Check exceptions with Japan Post
Japan Post publishes address postcode files as well as a separate business postcode dataset. A search in an area-level dataset may therefore miss a business-specific code. If the expected address is absent, consult Japan Post rather than selecting a nearby area at random.