法務省

• Reading: ほうむしょう
• Romaji: houmushou
• Kanji breakdown: 法 (hou) — law, method; 務 (mu) — duty, service; 省 (shou) — ministry, department
• Pronunciation: /hoː.mɯ.ɕoː/

Meaning

Ministry of Justice. The Japanese government ministry responsible for civil affairs, immigration, human rights, and the legal system.

A noun referring to one of the main ministries in the Japanese government. Oversees the judicial system, prosecution, immigration, prisons, and civil law administration. Frequently appears in news about legal reforms, immigration policy, and criminal justice. The minister is called 法務大臣 (houmuaijin). The immigration bureau (出入国在留管理庁) operates under its authority.

Examples

1. 法務省が新しい入管法の改正案を発表した。 The Ministry of Justice announced a new amendment to the immigration law.
2. 彼女は法務省の職員として人権問題に取り組んでいる。 She works at the Ministry of Justice addressing human rights issues.
3. 法務省のホームページで在留資格の情報が確認できる。 You can check information on residency status on the Ministry of Justice's website.

Usage Guide

Context: politics, law, news

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 法 (hou, law) + 務 (mu, duty/service) + 省 (shou, ministry/government department). Literally 'law-duty ministry' — the government department charged with legal affairs.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Universal