Seal (Japanese)
Inkan (Japanese印鉴) or colloquially Hanko (判 子) are name stamps that in Japan in transactions and contracts have the same function as in Europe the signature. Both companies and individuals can have make a stamp. In many cases, the Hanko for signing documents is necessary.
Traditionally a Inkan is carved on one end of a small block of hard wood, bone, ivory or marble, with a diameter between 25 and 75 mm. Rubber stamp, as you can buy them in many souvenir shops, can not be used as an official seal. Most Chinese characters are used in the seal script used for these purposes as early as 3000 years ago for the name. Seal for the usual family names can be bought pre-fabricated, but as a Hanko is a very personal item, many Japanese go to a label maker.
History
The Chinese imperial seal of Na solid gold from the year 57 is the first sign of literacy in Japan. As an authority symbols Hanko were reserved for the direct vassals of the Tennō.
From about the year 750 also Hanko other nobles are detected. With the rise of the samurai and they began to seek customize seal. Them was the red reserved as a stamp color.
During the Meiji Restoration (1868 ), as every Japanese had to accept a name, the use of a name seal used in all walks of life.
Today's use
In modern Japan, most people have a lot of seals. Seal of men are usually larger than those of women, and supervisors have more than their subordinates. Especially secured Hanko be used for banking and real estate transactions, while simpler variants are used for everyday transactions.
There are two categories of stamps: personal seal (認め印, Mitome -in) and registered ( legal) Seal (実 印, jitsu - in, real seal). To rent, land, or to buy a car, a flat, a registered seal is necessary. Some banks will even be required for opening an account. Registration and certification of a Inkan can you feel any at the local municipal government. They will give you a " certified seal impression " (印鉴 登录 证明书, inkan toroku shōmeisho, in short: inkan techo ), with which a seal can be authenticated in transactions similar to a certified signature.
Alien with an alien registration card are entitled to a certified seal, which is crucial for business. Foreign names may in romaji ( Latin script ), Katakana, Hiragana ( syllabary ) or Kanji (Chinese characters) are engraved.
Another important tool to identify themselves in Japan, is the calling card (名 刺meishi ).
Similar bills technological progress has led to improved ways of forgery even when Hanko. The future of Hanko in Japan is therefore unclear.