Certified Administrative Procedures Specialist Sato Takahiro Office

Acquisition of Japanese Nationality

There are three ways to acquire Japanese nationality as shown below. Since the procedures and requirements differ for each, our office confirms each requirement, consults with you kindly, and derives what procedures are necessary for the client to acquire nationality. We support document preparation and procedures for a plan that suits the client.

1．Case of Acquisition of Japanese Nationality by Birth

It is a system to automatically acquire Japanese nationality at the time of birth.Whether or not you have Japanese nationality is determined by the nationality of your parents.
Japanese nationality is granted if any of the following apply:

1. When the father or mother is a Japanese national at the time of birth
2. When the father who died before birth was a Japanese national at the time of death
3. When born in Japan and both parents are unknown or stateless

* If acknowledged by a Japanese father at the fetal stage (fetal acknowledgment), Japanese nationality is acquired at the same time as birth.

However, if born overseas and acquired the nationality of another country, Japanese nationality will be lost unless a notification of reservation of nationality is made within 3 months.

2．Case of Acquisition of Japanese Nationality by Notification

It is a system where a person who did not have Japanese nationality at the time of birth can acquire Japanese nationality by notifying the Minister of Justice by meeting certain conditions.
The main cases are as follows:

• Acquisition of Nationality by Acknowledgment

When a child under 18 years of age acknowledged by a Japanese father or mother meets the requirements and submits a notification.

• Re-acquisition of Nationality

(e.g., when nationality was not reserved)

• A person who had Japanese nationality at the time of birth but lost it because they did not submit a reservation notification, is under 18 years old, and has a domicile in Japan.

• Other Re-acquisition

When a person who previously held Japanese nationality re-acquires it after meeting certain conditions after losing nationality.

3．Acquisition of Japanese Nationality by Naturalization

It is a system for foreign nationals to acquire Japanese nationality with the permission of the Minister of Justice.
It is necessary to wish to settle in Japan and meet certain requirements.

• Application for Permission for Naturalization

Applicants can acquire Japanese nationality by meeting certain conditions (domicile requirements, capability requirements, conduct requirements, livelihood requirements, etc.) and obtaining permission from the Minister of Justice.

Our office provides careful support from the preparation of documents for Application for Permission for Naturalization to application procedures by an administrative scrivener.

Support Contents:

• Advance confirmation of naturalization requirements
  We judge the possibility of naturalization application based on current residence status, years of stay, stay status, income status, etc.
• Collection and translation of necessary documents
  Resident card, tax certificate, certified copy of registry, certified copy of family register, etc.
• Creation of translations of foreign documents (birth certificates, marriage certificates, etc.)
• Preparation and organization of application documents
• We scrutinize the contents of the Application for Permission for Naturalization, statement of reasons, resume, etc. to be submitted to the Legal Affairs Bureau.