Eligibility quiz
Were you adopted by a Japanese citizen?
Benefits
Benefits for youBenefits for you
Japanese passport
Japanese citizens can get a Japanese passport for international travel and entry to Japan.
Passports normally last 10 years for applicants aged 18 or over and five years for those under 18.
Live in Japan for life
Japanese citizens can live anywhere in Japan without a residence permit or renewal.
They are also recorded in a family register.
Study in Japan
Japanese citizens can attend school or university in Japan without immigration permission.
Work in Japan
Japanese citizens can take any lawful job, run a business and change activities without immigration permission.
Visit other countries
Japanese passport holders can visit some destinations without a visa or get one on arrival for a short stay, depending on the destination’s rules.
Get help abroad
Japanese embassies and consulates can help citizens abroad after accidents, crime, disasters, conflict, terrorism or kidnapping.
They can issue passports and other documents, but cannot pay all costs or override local courts.
Vote in elections
Japanese citizens can vote in national elections from age 18 if they meet the election rules.
To vote from abroad, they must register as an overseas voter and receive an overseas voter certificate.
Use public healthcare
People living in Japan are generally covered by public health insurance through an employer or their municipality.
Use social support
People aged 20–59 with an address in Japan are generally covered by the National Pension; payments depend on contributions and eligibility.
Japanese citizens aged 20–64 living abroad can generally join voluntarily, with some exceptions.
Eligible residents may also qualify for welfare and other benefits.
How to apply
Applying at a local officeApplying at a local office
Find your local bureau
Find the Legal Affairs Bureau responsible for your address in Japan. This is where you will apply for permission to naturalize.
Searches DuckDuckGo for “Which Legal Affairs Bureau handles naturalization applications for your city, Japan?”
Book a consultation
Call your local Legal Affairs Bureau to book a nationality consultation.
Searches DuckDuckGo for “How do I book a naturalization consultation at the Legal Affairs Bureau for your city, Japan?”
Attend your consultation
Bring the documents you already have to the consultation and explain your circumstances to the bureau. If asked, complete its preliminary questionnaire or family chart beforehand.
Searches DuckDuckGo for “How do I prepare for a Japan naturalization consultation at the Legal Affairs Bureau for your city?”
Get the application form
Ask your local Legal Affairs Bureau for the application for permission to naturalize.
Searches DuckDuckGo for “How do I get the Japan application for permission to naturalize from the Legal Affairs Bureau for your city?”
Gather your documents
Prepare the documents your local Legal Affairs Bureau asks for.
See required documentsFill in the form
Complete the application form, leaving the date, signature and any declaration blank until the bureau tells you to fill them in. If you are under 15, a parent or other legal representative applies for you.
Searches DuckDuckGo for “How do I fill in the Japan application for permission to naturalize at the Legal Affairs Bureau for your city?”
Hand in your application
Bring your written application and supporting documents to your local Legal Affairs Bureau in person; if you are under 15, your parent or other legal representative applies for you. There is no application fee.
Searches DuckDuckGo for “How do I submit an application for permission to naturalize at the Legal Affairs Bureau for your city, Japan?”
Wait for the decision
Answer the bureau’s questions and provide any extra documents or attend interviews it asks for. One year in Japan does not guarantee approval; under the current policy, the assessment generally expects 10 years of residence.
Find decision informationSearches DuckDuckGo for “How long does a Japan application for permission to naturalize take at the Legal Affairs Bureau?”
Follow your approval instructions
If you are approved, follow the bureau’s instructions about your family register and other matters. Your Japanese citizenship takes effect when the approval is published in the Official Gazette, and you can then apply for a Japanese passport.
Find next stepsSearches DuckDuckGo for “What do I do about my family register after permission to naturalize in Japan?”
Documents needed
Family certificates and recordsFamily certificates and records
Birth certificates
Provide your birth certificate and any foreign family register or equivalent record your bureau asks for. These records help show your identity and family relationships.
Adoption records
Provide the adoption decision, court document or other record that shows your adoption by your Japanese parent. Include any Japanese adoption filing or parent-child relationship records the bureau asks for, and ask what evidence it needs to show you were a minor under your country’s law when adopted.
Parent's citizenship records
Provide your Japanese parent’s family register certificate to show their Japanese citizenship and your family relationship. Get it from the Japanese municipality that holds the family register; include records of other Japanese family members if the bureau asks for them.
Marriage certificates *
Provide marriage certificates for you and your parents as the bureau asks. Include any relevant Japanese marriage or divorce filing records, and a spouse’s death certificate if the bureau asks for it.
* Only if you or your parents have married.
May need translationMay need apostille/legalisationConsiderations
Things to think aboutThings to think about
Citizenship can be lost
Citizenship ends if you voluntarily acquire or choose another nationality, or renounce Japanese citizenship.
People with multiple nationalities must choose one before 20 if acquired before 18, or within two years if acquired later; failure after a minister’s notice can lead to loss.
A child born abroad with two nationalities loses Japanese citizenship from birth if it is not reserved when the birth is reported.
Discuss
Online communitiesOnline communities
r/JapanVisa
English Reddit group for people interested in Japanese citizenship and visas
Join on RedditFor Foreigners Living In Japan
English Facebook group for people living in Japan interested in Japanese local life
Join on Facebookr/movingtojapan
English Reddit group for people living in Japan interested in Japanese visas
Join on RedditConsultation
Talk to a professionalTalk to a professional
Adavia doesn't provide advice, but we're building a directory of professionals who do. If you'd like, we can notify you when help is available.
Updated