Naturalization in Japan: Conditions, Procedure, and How It Differs from Permanent Residence

Naturalization is the procedure by which a foreign national acquires Japanese nationality with the permission of the Minister of Justice (Nationality Act, Article 4). The conditions are set out in Article 5 of the Nationality Act (such as having continuously had a domicile in Japan for five years or more and being 18 or older), and since April 1, 2026, the review practice has generally required 10 years or more of residence for the requirement of “integration into Japanese society.” The applicant must apply in writing, in person, at the Legal Affairs Bureau or District Legal Affairs Bureau with jurisdiction over their domicile.

Naturalization makes you a Japanese national. It is a separate system from permanent residence, which lets you stay in Japan indefinitely while keeping your foreign nationality. The requirements for permanent residence are explained in our guide to permanent residence.

Conditions for Naturalization (Nationality Act, Article 5)

Article 5, paragraph (1) of the Nationality Act sets six general conditions, and the Minister of Justice may not permit the naturalization of a foreign national who does not meet them.

Condition	What it requires	Provision
Domicile	Continuous domicile in Japan for five years or more	Art. 5(1)(i)
Capacity	Aged 18 or older and having legal capacity under the law of one’s home country	Art. 5(1)(ii)
Conduct	Being a person of good conduct	Art. 5(1)(iii)
Livelihood	Able to make a living through one’s own assets or skills, or those of a spouse or relative sharing living expenses	Art. 5(1)(iv)
Prevention of dual nationality	Having no nationality, or losing one’s current nationality by acquiring Japanese nationality	Art. 5(1)(v)
Respect for the Constitution	Never having planned or advocated the violent destruction of the Constitution of Japan or the government, or formed or joined an organization that does	Art. 5(1)(vi)

The Ministry of Justice’s Nationality Q&A (Q9, in Japanese) describes these as the “minimum conditions” for naturalization and states that meeting them does not guarantee permission. The same Q&A explains the conditions as follows:

• Domicile: The domicile must be lawful, which means you must hold a proper status of residence
• Conduct: Whether your conduct is good is judged comprehensively, considering criminal history and its nature, tax payment status, and whether you have caused trouble to society
• Livelihood: This is judged for the household sharing living expenses, so an applicant without income can meet it if the household can live stably on a spouse’s or relative’s assets or skills
• Prevention of dual nationality: As an exception, if you cannot lose your current nationality regardless of your own will, and special circumstances are recognized regarding your family relationship with Japanese nationals or your situation, naturalization may be permitted without meeting this condition (Article 5, paragraph (2))

Review Practice from April 2026 (Integration into Japanese Society)

From April 1, 2026, the Ministry of Justice revised its review practice for naturalization and now generally requires 10 years or more of residence and integration into Japanese society. The Nationality Act itself has not been amended, and the domicile condition remains five years or more.

At a press conference after the Cabinet meeting on March 27, 2026 (in Japanese), the Minister of Justice announced two points:

• In reviewing “integration into Japanese society,” the Ministry generally requires 10 years or more of residence and integration into Japanese society
• In reviewing good conduct and livelihood, the Ministry extends the period over which it checks payment of taxes and social insurance premiums

The Minister explained that the revision assumes the applicant meets the five-year domicile condition of the Nationality Act and was made for consistency with the review of permanent residence. The Nationality Q&A (Q9) also states that integration into Japanese society is required, including Japanese ability sufficient for daily life (speaking, reading, and writing) and 10 years or more of residence. As of October 2026, the Ministry’s pages do not state how many years the extended checking period covers.

A government document on the “Comprehensive Measures for the Acceptance of Foreign Nationals and Orderly Coexistence” compiled on January 23, 2026 (Overview of Measures for the Safety and Security of the Public, in Japanese) states that the government will continue to examine how to review the conditions for naturalization, such as being able to maintain a stable livelihood into the future.

People with Relaxed Conditions (Articles 6 to 8)

People with a special connection to Japan, such as those born in Japan, spouses of Japanese nationals, and children of Japanese nationals, have relaxed conditions.

Domicile condition relaxed (Article 6; must currently have a domicile in Japan)

• A child (excluding an adopted child) of a former Japanese national who has continuously had a domicile or residence in Japan for three years or more (item (i))
• A person born in Japan who has continuously had a domicile or residence in Japan for three years or more, or whose father or mother (excluding an adoptive parent) was born in Japan (item (ii))
• A person who has continuously had a residence in Japan for 10 years or more (item (iii))

Domicile and capacity conditions relaxed (Article 7)

• A spouse of a Japanese national who has continuously had a domicile or residence in Japan for three years or more and currently has a domicile in Japan
• A spouse of a Japanese national for whom three years have passed since the date of marriage and who has continuously had a domicile in Japan for one year or more

Domicile, capacity, and livelihood conditions relaxed (Article 8)

• A child (excluding an adopted child) of a Japanese national who has a domicile in Japan (item (i))
• An adopted child of a Japanese national who has continuously had a domicile in Japan for one year or more and was a minor under the law of their home country at the time of adoption (item (ii))
• A person who lost Japanese nationality (excluding a person who lost it after naturalizing in Japan) and has a domicile in Japan (item (iii))
• A person born in Japan who has had no nationality since birth and has continuously had a domicile in Japan for three years or more since then (item (iv))

In addition, a foreign national who has rendered especially distinguished service to Japan may be permitted to naturalize with the approval of the Diet, regardless of the conditions in Article 5, paragraph (1) (Article 9).

The Ministry’s pages do not state how the April 2026 practice of “generally 10 years or more of residence” applies to people with relaxed conditions. If this applies to you, we recommend confirming with the Legal Affairs Bureau where you will apply.

Where to Apply and How the Procedure Works

The applicant must appear in person at the Legal Affairs Bureau or District Legal Affairs Bureau with jurisdiction over their domicile and apply in writing (Ordinance for Enforcement of the Nationality Act, Article 2, paragraphs (1) and (2)). For a person under 15, a legal representative such as a parent applies on their behalf (Nationality Act, Article 18).

According to the Ministry of Justice’s procedure page for naturalization (in Japanese), applications are filed with a Legal Affairs Bureau or District Legal Affairs Bureau, including branch offices that handle nationality matters, and there is no application fee. Application forms are available at the bureau, and because the required documents differ from person to person, applicants are asked to consult the bureau in advance.

Each bureau runs the procedure in its own way. If you live in Tokyo’s 23 wards, you consult the Nationality Division of the Tokyo Legal Affairs Bureau (the Hachioji, Fuchu, and Nishitama branch offices cover the Tama area and other districts). According to the Tokyo Legal Affairs Bureau’s guidance for first naturalization consultations (in Japanese), the steps up to acceptance are as follows:

1. Booking a consultation: Naturalization consultations are by appointment only. You book by phone with the bureau that has jurisdiction over your address
2. First consultation: You prepare the listed documents in advance and bring a completed naturalization consultation questionnaire. Documents are generally prepared in two sets: the original and a copy
3. Collecting and preparing documents: You obtain documents from your home country and from Japanese offices, and prepare the application documents. The statement of motivation must be handwritten by the applicant (it cannot be prepared on a computer or written by someone else; special permanent residents do not need one)
4. Acceptance: The application is accepted once the application documents and attachments are complete. The date of application and the signature on the application form are filled in at acceptance. The oath is handed to you at acceptance, and you sign it by hand. For applicants under 15, the legal representative (both parents, if the parents are the legal representatives) comes to the bureau at acceptance

The Tokyo bureau’s guidance does not describe the steps after acceptance. Taking the Mito District Legal Affairs Bureau’s guidance (in Japanese) as one example, they are as follows:

5. Interview: About two to three months after acceptance, the bureau interviews the applicant and their spouse about matters that could not be confirmed from the documents alone
6. Renouncing your nationality: If the law of your home country allows you to renounce its nationality before naturalizing, the bureau explains that procedure
7. Decision: If permission is granted, it is published in the Official Gazette. If not, a notice of non-permission is sent

After Permission

Naturalization takes effect on the day it is announced in the Official Gazette (Nationality Act, Article 10, paragraph (2)). According to the Ministry of Justice’s page on the Official Gazette announcement (in Japanese), the announcement includes your address (down to the municipality, or the ward in designated cities and Tokyo’s special wards), your name before naturalization, and your date of birth.

After permission, the following steps are required:

• Notification of naturalization: Within one month from the day of the announcement, you notify the municipal office of your naturalization (Family Register Act, Article 102-2)
• Returning your residence card: Once you acquire Japanese nationality, you are no longer a mid- to long-term resident, so your residence card becomes invalid and must be returned within 14 days (Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act (ICRRA), Article 19-14, item (i) and Article 19-15, paragraph (1); see the Immigration Services Agency’s page on returning residence cards, in Japanese)

Required Documents

The required documents depend on your nationality, family relationships, and occupation, and the Legal Affairs Bureau tells you what to submit during the consultations. The main documents are listed in the Nationality Q&A (Q11) and the Ministry of Justice’s leaflet on acquiring Japanese nationality by naturalization (in Japanese).

Type	Main documents
Documents you prepare	Application for permission for naturalization (with photos), outline of relatives, statement of motivation for naturalization, personal history, outline of livelihood, outline of business, and a written oath to observe Japanese laws
Documents from your home country	Proof of nationality, and documents proving family relationships such as birth, marriage, and kinship
Documents from Japanese offices	Certificate of residence (juminhyo), proof of tax payment, proof of income, and proof of social insurance payments

Key rules for preparing documents:

• Home-country documents: Documents proving nationality and family relationships must, in principle, be issued by the authorities of your home country (Nationality Q&A, Q11)
• Translations: Documents written in a foreign language must be accompanied by a translation that identifies the translator (Ordinance for Enforcement of the Nationality Act, Article 5)
• Signature: The applicant signs the application (Article 2, paragraph (3) of the same Ordinance). According to the bureaus’ guidance, you sign at acceptance in front of the official

Additional documents are required depending on your situation, such as a certificate of driving record if you hold a driver’s license (covering five years, according to the Tokyo Legal Affairs Bureau’s list of attached documents, in Japanese), or tax documents for your business or company if you run one.

Processing Time

There is no standard processing period set for naturalization applications (Ministry of Justice procedure page). The Mito District Legal Affairs Bureau states that it takes about one and a half years at the shortest from the first consultation to the decision (page updated in August 2025, given as one example). The Tokyo Legal Affairs Bureau’s guidance does not give an estimate.

This period includes the consultations and document preparation before acceptance. It varies widely depending on your family situation and how long it takes to obtain documents from your home country.

Points to Check Before Applying

Having all the documents does not guarantee that naturalization will be permitted (Ministry of Justice procedure page), and there is no procedure for appealing a refusal (same page). This is why it is important to check the conditions before applying.

In our view, the following points should be checked before you apply:

• Gaps in your status of residence: Because your domicile must be lawful, a period without a status of residence, for example because an extension was filed late, may affect the domicile condition
• Taxes and social insurance premiums: Tax payment status is considered in judging conduct, and from April 2026 the period over which payment is checked has been extended. If you have unpaid or late payments, it is important to resolve them before applying
• Traffic violations and similar records: Applicants with a driver’s license are asked to submit a certificate of driving record. We consider that the nature and number of violations may be taken into account in judging conduct
• Long absences from Japan: The domicile condition requires a domicile in Japan “continuously.” A long period away from Japan may raise questions on this point
• Japanese ability: Japanese ability sufficient for daily life (speaking, reading, and writing) is required

How Naturalization Differs from Permanent Residence

Naturalization makes you a Japanese national, while permanent residence gives you the status of residence “Permanent Resident” while you keep your foreign nationality. The governing law, the office you apply to, and the procedure are very different.

Item	Naturalization	Permanent residence
What you obtain	Japanese nationality	Status of residence “Permanent Resident”
Legal basis	Nationality Act, Arts. 4 and 5	ICRRA, Art. 22
Current nationality	Lost in principle (Nationality Act, Art. 5(1)(v))	Kept
Where to apply	Legal Affairs Bureau for your domicile	Regional immigration office for your residence
Filing by others	Only a legal representative for a child under 15; the applicant must appear	A registered gyoseishoshi, lawyer, or other authorized agent can file
Years in Japan	Five years of domicile by law (with relaxations); generally 10 years of residence in practice	Generally 10 years under the Permanent Residence Guidelines
Fee	None	Required
When it takes effect	Day of the Official Gazette announcement	When the residence card is issued (ICRRA, Art. 22(4))
Afterward	A family register is created, and the residence card is returned	You hold a residence card and must renew its validity period

Who may apply for and file a permanent residence application is set out on the Immigration Services Agency’s permanent residence application page (in Japanese). For the permanent residence fee, please check the Immigration Services Agency’s fee page.

Which one suits you depends on whether you need Japanese nationality and how losing your current nationality would affect you. In our view, it is advisable to check how your home country treats former nationals (such as entry and property) before deciding. For an overview of all statuses of residence, see our guide to the types of residence status.

What a Gyoseishoshi Can and Cannot Do

An application for naturalization must be made by the applicant appearing in person at the Legal Affairs Bureau (Ordinance for Enforcement of the Nationality Act, Article 2, paragraph (2)). Unlike immigration applications, there is no system for a gyoseishoshi (a nationally licensed legal professional qualified to prepare and submit official documents to government agencies) to file the application on your behalf, and the applicant signs at acceptance and attends the interview in person.

The scope of a gyoseishoshi’s work is explained in What a Gyoseishoshi Can Do. For naturalization, here is what our office can and cannot do:

• What we can do: Check whether you meet the conditions, prepare the full set of application documents, obtain documents from Japanese government offices on your behalf with a power of attorney (and, for some countries such as South Korea, home-country documents as well), translate foreign-language documents, draft your statement of motivation, attend consultations and the acceptance at the Legal Affairs Bureau with you, and help you prepare for the interview
• What we cannot do: File the application on your behalf, sign at acceptance or attend the interview in your place, sit in on the interview, or obtain home-country documents that only you can request. You handwrite the final statement of motivation yourself based on our draft (the bureaus’ guide to naturalization applications requires applicants to handwrite it; in Japanese)

Some bureaus ask that applicants book nationality consultations themselves.

How We Can Help

Naturalization takes a long time from consultation to decision, and the review practice changed in April 2026. AEGIS International Administrative Firm offers the following support:

• Checking the conditions: We review your residence history, tax and social insurance payments, and Japanese ability, and consider when you can apply in light of the April 2026 practice
• Comparing naturalization and permanent residence: We help you decide which option fits your goals, based on the differences in requirements and procedure
• Preparing the full set of application documents: We prepare the application form, personal history, outline of relatives, outline of livelihood, outline of business, and other documents
• Obtaining and translating documents: With your power of attorney, we obtain documents from Japanese government offices (and, for some countries, home-country documents) and translate foreign-language documents, including those from your home country
• Drafting your statement of motivation: We listen to your circumstances and draft your statement of motivation so that you can handwrite the final version
• Attending the bureau with you and preparing for the interview: We attend consultations and the acceptance at the Legal Affairs Bureau with you (bureaus differ in whether they allow this), and help you prepare for the points confirmed in the interview

Please feel free to contact us.

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For individual cases, please contact our office.