How to Become a Japanese Citizen

Gaining Japanese citizenry is quite difficult.

Switching your country of citizenship can sometimes be a difficult process. For starters, it's a massive change to your lifestyle--you are literally becoming a legal citizen of a place that is not your country of origin. You must fill out many forms and follow many procedures that make the entire ordeal both challenging and time consuming. Becoming a citizen of Japan has been noted as an intensely difficult process perhaps since foreigners have had the option of applying.

Things You'll Need

• Application of residency
• Proof that you've been living in Japan for more than five years
• Fluency in Japanese
• Proof of personal finances and skills necessary to support yourself

Instructions

1. Fill out and turn in an application of residency with the Japanese Ministry of Justice. Obtain the form at any American embassy or U.S. State Department office. It is the first step toward becoming a Japanese citizen.

2. Live in Japan as a full-time resident for five years. More is better, but a continuous stay in Japan of at least five years is required to gain citizenship.

3. Maintain a history of good behavior. When reviewing your application for residency, the minister of justice will review your background history, including any criminal record you may have. Your record must be completely free of blemishes before your application will be considered.

4. Prove that you have sufficient skills and wealth to support yourself. As part of your application process, you'll have to prove that you'll be able to provide for yourself and any family you bring along. Failure to do so will result in the dismissal of your application.

5. Learn Japanese. One of the most difficult parts of the application process is an in-person interview with a Ministry of Justice official. This interview will go much, much easier if you have learned the national language, thus showing that you are willing to become a productive part of their society and culture.

Tips & Warnings

• Becoming a Japanese citizen will not happen overnight. The country's minister of justice has to approve all applications of citizenship, a process that takes an estimated one year to complete.

• If you are over the age of 20, the minister of justice can and will at any time make you declare sole citizenship to your country of choice, be it Japan or your native country. If you truly want to be a Japanese citizen, be prepared to renounce citizenship from your country of origin.

Resources

• Japan: Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• U.S. Department of State: Japan