In 2023, the Japanese passport became the world’s most powerful passport for the fifth year in a row. This means that a citizen of Japan enjoys visa-free travel to 193 out of the 227 countries in the world. Japanese citizens (both native and naturalised) have free access to 85% of our planet, which sounds like a good reason to consider a Japanese passport. Unsurprisingly, this can be quite challenging. Read more to find out more about the process.
Citizenship issues in Japan are regulated by a law dating from 1950 that has been amended a number of times. For instance, citizenship can now be passed from mother to child (until 1985, only the father’s citizenship had significance). In late 2008, the government granted the right to citizenship to children born outside of marriage. Just recently, in 2022, they brought down the minimum age for requesting naturalisation from 20 to 18.
The law continues to inspire debate, particularly the ban on dual citizenship. Foreigners who want to naturalise in Japan need to relinquish all other citizenships. Japanese citizens receiving another country’s citizenship also need to renounce their Japanese passport. This rule does have exceptions. First, let us tell you who can become a Japanese citizen and on what grounds.
There are three key routes:
- birth,
- notification,
- naturalisation.
Tokyo. Photo: Jezael Melgoza (Unsplash)
Citizenship by Birth
A child becomes a citizen of Japan if at the moment of their birth their mother or father have Japanese citizenship. Up until 1985, citizenship was passed on only from the father to the child. After ratifying the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women the government amended the law.
If only the father has Japanese citizenship but he dies before the child is born, the newborn is still considered a citizen of Japan.
Note! Unlike most of the countries in North and South America, jus soli, the so-called birthright citizenship, does not work in Japan. This means that if a foreign couple gives birth to a child on the territory of Japan, their child is not automatically entitled to citizenship. The only exceptions are cases when the parents have no valid citizenship or when there is no information about the child’s parents.
Citizenship through Notification
The children of Japanese parents who were not granted citizenship upon birth have the right to submit a notification to the Ministry of Justice and get a Japanese passport.
How does it happen that a child is left without Japanese citizenship? Scenario 1: the father is Japanese, the mother is a foreigner, and the father recognises the child as his only after the child’s birth. In this case, the child can announce their intention to become a Japanese citizen by the time they are 18 years of age. From the age of 15, the child can do this themselves but for younger children, their parents or legal representatives handle the paperwork.
Scenario 2: the child was born abroad, received citizenship from a different country, and the parents decided not to inform the Japanese Ministry of Justice that the child also needs Japanese citizenship. This should be done within three months after the child’s birth but can still be done until the child is 18. Those who live in Japan submit their notifications in the legal affairs bureau, those living abroad should send their paperwork to an embassy or a consulate.
If the parents ensure that their child born outside of Japan has a Japanese passport, the child has the right to hold dual citizenship until they are 20 years old. After that, they will have to choose one country: Japan is quite strict about dual citizenship and reserves the right to remove the Japanese passport from anyone who refuses to relinquish the citizenship of other countries.
Fujiyoshida. Photo: David Edelstein (Unsplash)
Citizenship by Naturalisation
For those who do not have Japanese parents, the only way to obtain a Japanese passport is to naturalise. To get that chance, you need to check several boxes.
Residence. To be eligible for Japanese citizenship, you need to live in Japan for at least five years in a row and have official residential status throughout that period.
Ability. You can apply for citizenship once you are 18 years old (until April 2022, the lawful age in Japan was 20). This implies that the applicant is also of lawful age in their home country. For instance, a citizen of New Zealand cannot get a Japanese passport until they are 20 years of age, and people from Singapore have to be at least 21.
Model behaviour. Before issuing a passport, the immigration authorities will check if the applicant has had convictions, participated in public disorder, and how diligent they have been in paying their taxes.
Financial stability. Anyone wishing to get Japanese citizenship must have a steady source of income. This does not mean, however, that the applicant must work or do business on their own. If a potential citizen can prove that their spouse or a different family member can sponsor them, that is enough.
Respect for the constitutional form of government. This may seem obvious but it is stated in the legislaton. Anyone who advocates overthrowing the Japanese government, propagates similar ideas, or is a part of an organisation that does not like the form of government in Japan can forget about getting a Japanese passport.
Note! Japanese citizenship is only granted to those who do not hold any other citizenships. When getting a Japanese passport, new citizens must renounce all the other passports they hold.
We have listed the minimal requirements. Without these, it is almost impossible to get Japanese citizenship. Sometimes, however, even complying with all those conditions will not guarantee you a passport. The immigration authorities review each case individually, and they may have some extra issues. The procedure is simplest for those who:
- were born in Japan;
- are married to a citizen of Japan (note that Japan is the only G7 country that does not recognise same-sex couples in any form);
- have a child who is a citizen of Japan;
- used to have a Japanese passport;
- has special merits to the country.
Tokyo. Photo: Rob Maxwell (Unsplash)
The List of Documents
All documents are submitted to the legal affairs bureau of the Ministry of Justice. If the applicant is under 15 years of age, their parents or legal representative should go to the bureau on their behalf.
Once you are there, you need to complete an application explaining the purpose of requesting citizenship and provide a full set of documents. The bureau may request additional paperwork. You should contact the bureau directly to learn more about the paperwork necessary for your case. The following paperwork is usually required:
- official confirmation of your income and tax payment (certificate of employment, bank statements, etc.);
- official confirmation of your residential status and that of the fact that you have a residence;
- official confirmation of your familial relation to your parents and other relatives (birth certificate, marriage certificate, etc.);
On top of that, you will need a photo and a valid passport of a different country. Knowing the Japanese language is not on the list of official requirements but it is implied. You do not need to take any exams but you will have to fill out the forms and do interviews in Japanese.
The Ministry of Justice makes the decision on whether to grant you citizenship or not. The decision is final once it is reported in the official publication of the Japanese government.
In a Nutshell
The Japanese passport is considered the most powerful in the world, but Japan is a relatively closed-off country and getting a Japanese passport is not an easy task. However, it’s not impossible. The main disadvantage of this passport is that dual citizenship is banned in Japan.
Cover photo: freepik (Freepik)
