A foreign national can obtain citizenship in Japan by birth, notification, and naturalization. The Japanese Nationality Act (Law No. 147 of 1950) is the document of reference for the acquisition and loss of Japanese nationality.
A foreign national who follows the requirements for obtaining citizenship through one of the three routes will start the process by submitting an application for naturalization permission with the Legal Affairs Bureau or the Regional Bureau of Legal Affairs with jurisdiction in his or her area of residence in Japan.
Each of the manners in which one can obtain Japanese nationality is subject to very clear conditions, as well as the proper submission of all the supporting documents to the Japanese authorities. Individuals who are ready and able to obtain citizenship in Japan can reach out to our local team of experts for more information as well as assistance.
We also provide complete services for foreign investors who are ready to open a company in Japan.
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Ways of acquiring Japanese nationality
The three possible ways in which a non-citizen can obtain Japanese nationality are the following:
- By birth: if the mother or the father is a Japanese national; if the father died before the applicant’s birth but was a Japanese citizen at the time of death, or if born in Japan to parents without nationality or with unknown nationality;
- By notification: acquisition by acknowledged children, reacquisition of nationality who has not kept his or her Japanese nationality at birth; these situations are subject to the submission of a notification to the Minister of Justice;
- By naturalization: when nationality is offered through the permission of the Minister of Justice, to individuals who meet the applicable conditions.
Requirements for naturalization
Foreign nationals who do not fall under the categories that allow them to obtain citizenship in Japan by birth or notification can apply for this status through naturalization.
Naturalization is understood as the process through which a non-citizen acquires Japanese nationality as permitted by the Minister of Justice and announced in the Official Gazette.
The following general conditions apply for obtaining citizenship in Japan by naturalization:
- The individual has been living for five years or more in Japan and has kept a valid status of residence the entire time;
- The person is at least 20 years of age and in full capacity;
- Has upright conduct, according to social conventions;
- Has sufficient income/is able to support oneself;
- Is willing to renounce his or her former nationality.
Are you ready to apply for citizenship? Our immigration lawyers in Japan assist foreign nationals irrespective of their country of origin. You can reach out to our team as soon as you are able to start the application process for obtaining citizenship under the process of naturalization (i.e., once you meet the conditions for a sufficient lawful stay in Japan).
If you are interested in immigration to Japan under specific routes, such as that for business and investment purposes, our team will give you details about the available residence permits, their validity, and their renewal.
Foreign nationals in Japan
According to the 2020 Population Census of Japan, the following countries of origin for foreign nationals were the most popular:
- China, with 27.8% of the total resident population;
- Korea, with 15.6% of the foreign residents; and
- Vietnam, with 13.4% of the total number of foreigners living in Japan.
The data was provided by the Statistics Bureau and the same report stated that, as of October 1, 2020, Japan’s total population was 126,146,000.
We answer questions that relate to the manner in which a foreign national can apply for citizenship, as well as those that relate to company formation in Japan. Foreign investors who wish to know more about the investment routes that will allow them to move to the country can contact us.