An inkan (印鑑) or hanko (判子) is a name seal customarily used in Japan instead of a signature when doing business or other procedures. Such seals are used by both businesses and private persons. In fact, in certain cases, only seals are acceptable. John Hancocks signature on the United States Declaration of Independence A signature is a usually stylized version of someones name written on documents as a proof of identity and will, like a seal, but handwritten. ...

There are two kinds of seals: mitome-in (personal seal) and jitsu-in (registered seal).

One needs a registered seal to open an account in some banks or to purchase land or a car.

In modern Japan most people have several seals. Men's seals are generally larger than those of women, and high-ranked executives generally have larger hanko than their subordinates. The most secure forms of hanko are used for banking and real estate deals, while off-the-shelf varieties are used for everyday tasks such as signing for delivery of packages. The essential function of a bank is to provide services related to the storing of deposits and the extending of credit. ... Real estate is a legal term that encompasses land along with anything permanently affixed to the land, such as buildings. ...

Registration and certification of an inkan (印鑑登録証明書) may be performed in a local municipal office (City Hall). There, a person receives a "certificate of seal impression" (inkan-toroku-shomeisho, or inkan techo), or certificate of authenticity, which is required for any significant business transaction, such as purchasing a car.

Foreigners who have a valid alien registration card are eligible for the name seal, necessary to perform business. Foreign names may be carved in romaji, katakana, hiragana or kanji. Inkan for standard Japanese names may be purchased prefabricated. Japanese writing Kanji 漢字 Kana 仮名 Hiragana 平仮名 Katakana 片仮名 Uses Furigana 振り仮名 Okurigana 送り仮名 Romaji ローマ字 The title given to this article lacks diacritics because of certain technical limitations. ... Japanese writing Kanji 漢字 Kana 仮名 Hiragana 平仮名 Katakana 片仮名 Uses Furigana 振り仮名 Okurigana 送り仮名 Romaji ローマ字 Category Katakana (片仮名) are a Japanese syllabary, one of the four Japanese writing systems. ... Japanese writing Kanji 漢字 Kana 仮名 Hiragana 平仮名 Katakana 片仮名 Uses Furigana 振り仮名 Okurigana 送り仮名 Romaji ローマ字 Category Hiragana (平仮名 literally smooth kana) are a Japanese syllabary, one of four Japanese writing systems (the others are katakana, kanji and rōmaji). ... Jump to: navigation, search Japanese writing Kanji 漢字 Kana 仮名 Hiragana 平仮名 Katakana 片仮名 Uses Furigana 振り仮名 Okurigana 送り仮名 Romaji ローマ字 Category Kanji (漢字 â–¶(?), literally Han characters) is the name of Chinese characters in the Japanese language. ...

Traditionally, inkan are engraved on the end of a stick of hard wood, bone, or ivory, with a diameter between 25 and 75 mm. Carving them is a kind of calligraphic art. Rubber stamps are unacceptable for business. Jump to: navigation, search Calligraphy in a Latin Bible of AD 1407 on display in Malmesbury Abbey, Wiltshire, England. ...

The first evidence of writing in Japan is a hanko dating from AD 57, made of solid gold and belonging to the Emperor. At first, only the Emperor and his most trusted vassals held hanko, as they were a symbol of the Emperor's authority. Noblemen began using their own personal hanko after 750, and samurai began using them sometime in the Middle Ages. Samurai were permitted exclusive use of red ink. After modernization began in 1870, hanko finally came into general use throughout Japanese society. For other uses, see number 57. ... Jump to: navigation, search General Name, Symbol, Number gold, Au, 79 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 11, 6, d Appearance metallic yellow Atomic mass 196. ... His Majesty Emperor Akihito of Japan The Emperor of Japan (天皇 tennō) is a constitutionally-recognized symbol of the Japanese nation and the unity of its people. ... A vassal or liege, in the terminology that both preceded and accompanied the feudalism of medieval Europe, is one who enters into mutual obligations with a lord, usually of military support and mutual protection, in exchange for certain guarantees, which came to include the terrain held as a fief. ... Events Last Umayyad caliph Marwan II (744-750) overthrown by first Abbasid caliph, Abu al-Abbas al-Saffah Bold textItalic textLink title GARY CANT SWIM GARY CANT SWIM GARY CANT SWIM GARY CANT SWIM GARY CANT SWIM GARY CANT SWIM GARY CANT SWIM... Jump to: navigation, search Japanese samurai in armour, 1860 photograph. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... Red is a color at the lowest frequencies of light discernible by the human eye. ... 1870 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ...

The increasing ease with which modern technology allows hanko fraud is beginning to cause some concern that the system will not be able to survive for much longer.

Signature stamps are still used widely in cultures outside of Japan. For instance, some Israeli companies still require stamps on official documents. Some say the relative size of the stamps reflects the rank of the officers within the corporation.

Bold textItalic textLink titlelink title Part of the Style and how-to series Shortcut: WP:HEP See also Help:Editing, m:Help:Editing, m:Help:Starting_a_new_page Wikipedia is a WikiWiki, which means that anyone can easily edit any unprotected article and have those changes posted immediately to that page. ...

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Media:Example.oggInsertformulahereInsert non-formatted text here--70.69.129.124 04:08, 31 October 2005 (UTC) Jump to: navigation, search Image File history File links Example. ...

External links

• History of Chinese Seal Carvings