Docs

File of Documents
Those who are having trouble opening the "OpenDocument" version with their word processor should look at the Help Page.
† You should not use a word processor for composing or printing a 動機曞dōkisho (Motivation Essay).
Please read the Disclaimer regarding the English translations and the OCR processed Japanese.
Japanese document name
(English translated name)
[with linked explanation & commentary]		version
垰化蚱可申請曞kika kyoka shinsei-sho
Naturalization Permission Application Form		Adobe PDF
Microsoft Excel
垰化蚱可申請曞kika kyoka shinsei-sho（䟋rei）
Naturalization Permission Application Form (example)		Adobe PDF
Microsoft Word
OpenDocument format
家族の抂芁kazoku no gaiyō
Family Outline		Adobe PDF
Microsoft Excel
家族の抂芁kazoku no gaiyō（䟋：日本rei: nihon）
Family Outline (example: within Japan)		Microsoft Word
OpenDocument format
Adobe PDF
家族の抂芁kazoku no gaiyō（䟋：海倖rei: kaigai）
Family Outline (example: outside Japan)		Microsoft Word
OpenDocument format
履歎曞rirekisho（そのsono ichi）（䟋rei）
Personal History (part 1)		Microsoft Word
OpenDocument format
履歎曞rirekisho（そのsono ni）（䟋rei）
Personal History (part 2) (example)		Adobe PDF
生蚈の抂芁seikei no gaiyō（そのsono ichi）
Living Expenses Outline (part 1)		Adobe PDF
Microsoft Excel
生蚈の抂芁seikei no gaiyō（そのsono ichi）（䟋rei）
Living Expenses Outline (part 1) (example)		Adobe PDF
生蚈の抂芁seikei no gaiyō（そのsono ni）
Living Expenses Outline (part 2)		Adobe PDF
Microsoft Excel
生蚈の抂芁seikei no gaiyō（そのsono ni）（䟋rei）
Living Expenses Outline (part 2) (example)		Microsoft Excel
事業の抂芁jigyō no gaiyō
Business Outline		Adobe PDF
Microsoft Excel
事業の抂芁jigyō no gaiyō（䟋rei）
Business Outline (example)		Adobe PDF
自宅付近の略図jitaku fukin no ryakuzu
勀務先（取匕先）付近の略図kimmusaki (torihikisaki) fukin no ryakuzu（䟋rei）
Rough Sketch of Vicinity of Home
Rough Sketch of Vicinity of Employment (Place of Business) (example)		Microsoft Word
OpenDocument format
Adobe PDF
自宅付近の略図jitaku fukin no ryakuzu
勀務先（取匕先）付近の略図kimmusaki (torihikisaki) fukin no ryakuzu
Rough Sketch of Vicinity of Home
Rough Sketch of Vicinity of Employment (Place of Business)		Adobe PDF
Microsoft Excel
圚勀及び絊䞎蚌明曞zaikin oyobi kyÅ«yo shōmeisho
Proof of Japanese Employment and Wages		Microsoft Excel
Adobe PDF
圚勀及び絊䞎蚌明曞zaikin oyobi kyÅ«yo shōmeisho（䟋rei）
Proof of Japanese Employment and Wages (example)		Adobe PDF
必芁曞類䞀芧衚hitsuyō shorui ichiranhyō
Table of Necessary Documents		Microsoft Word
OpenDocument format
玍皎蚌明曞等添付曞類䞀芧衚nōzei shōmeisho nado tempu shorui ichiranhyō
Table of Japanese Tax Certificates, etc. to Accompany Documentation		 
出入囜歎衚
History of Departures/Entrances to Japan
垰化の動機曞kika no dōkisho
Motivation for Naturalization Essay †		Google Docs
[English translated] Google Docs
Adobe PDF
宣誓曞senseisho
Oath [to the Japanese Constitution] Statement		Google Docs
[English translated] Google Docs
宣誓曞senseisho
Oath [for renouncing your citizenship] Statement		Google Docs
[English translated] Google Docs
出入（åž°）囜蚘録に係る開瀺請求に぀いお
Regarding the requesting and disclosure of national immigration/emigration/return records
申述曞
Statement [of Births] (listing only the mother)		Google Docs
お知らせ
（申請曞類を䜜成するに圓たっおの泚意）
Notice [regarding Alien Registration Document]
「運転蚘録蚌明曞」の申蟌方法
How to request one's Driving Record
戞籍の蚌明曞・身分蚌明曞等の申請曞（郵䟿請求甚）
Application Form for Family Register, identification papers, etc. (for requests via postal mail)
玍皎蚌明曞
（その 玍皎額等蚌明甚）
Japanese Tax Statement
(part 1: for stating taxes)
玍皎蚌明曞
（その 所埗金額甚）
Japanese Tax Statement
(part 2: for stating income)
登録原祚蚘茉事項蚌明曞
Japanese Certificate of [Alien's] Registered Matters
戞籍謄本
Official [unabridged] Copy of Japanese Citizen Family Register		Image
䜏民祚
Japanese Citizen Resident Registration Card
源泉城収曞
Japanese Tax Withholding Statement
倖囜人登録蚌明曞
Alien Registration Card for Japan
人名甚挢字衚jimmei-yō kanji-hyō
Table of Japanese ideographs officially for use for names [and not common use]		Google Docs
垞甚挢字衚jōyō kanji-hyō
Table of Japanese ideographs for common [and name] use		Google Docs
行政手続の案内gyōsei tetsuzuki no annai
[MoJ] Administrative Procedures Information		Google Docs
[English translated] Google Docs
垰化埌の手続に぀いおkikago no tetsuzuki ni tsuite
Regarding Procedures after Naturalizing		Google Docs
[English translated] Google Docs
自動化ゲヌト利甚垌望者登録申請曞jidōka gēto riyō kibōsha tōroku shinseisho
Application Form for those Wishing to Use the Automated Gates (at Immigration)		[for Japanese citizens] Google Docs
[for non-Japanese residents] Google Docs
Sample U.S. CLN and passport "is being processed" proof letterGoogle Docs
U.S. CLN Personal Info SheetGoogle Docs
Statement of Births (listing the father)Adobe PDF
Microsoft Word
倖囜囜籍喪倱届 {gaikoku kokuseki sōshitsu todoke}
Loss of Foreign Nationality Form		Adobe PDF
アメリカ合衆囜囜籍喪倱蚌明曞（抄蚳）{Amerika GasshÅ«koku kokuseki sōshitsu shōmeisho (shōyaku)}
Translation of the U.S. Certificate of Loss of Nationality (abridged) 		Microsoft Word
アメリカ合衆囜囜籍喪倱蚌明曞{Amerika GasshÅ«koku kokuseki sōshitsu shōmeisho}
Translation of the U.S. Certificate of Loss of Nationality 		OpenDocument Text
囜籍遞択はkokuseki sentaku wa重囜籍者のjÅ«kokuseki-sha no倧切なtaisetsu na矩務ですgimu desu
The Choice of Nationality Is an Important Responsibility for Multi-Nationals 		Adobe PDF
垰化届蚘茉䟋kika-todoke kisai rei
Completed example of a naturalization submission form		 Adobe PDF
垰化届（独身）kika-todoke (dokushin)
Naturalization submission form (no dependents)		 Adobe PDF
Microsoft Word
OpenDocument format
郵䟿で返玍yÅ«bin de hennō
Returning your [foreign] Resident Card / SPR Card by Postal Mail		 Adobe PDF
Microsoft Word
OpenDocument format
垰化埌のkika go no手続きに぀いおtetsuzuki ni tsuite
Regarding procedures to be taken after naturalization		 Adobe PDF
Microsoft Word
OpenDocument format
垰化をkika o蚱可されたkyoka sareta方ぞkata e
To those who have received permission to naturalize:		 Adobe PDF
Microsoft Word
OpenDocument format
囜籍遞択届 {kokuseki sentaku todoke}
Choice of Nationality form

(the red warning on top of the PDF will not appear when printed)		Adobe PDF
倖囜囜籍喪倱届 {gaikoku kokuseki sōshitsu todoke}
Loss of Foreign Nationality Form 		Adobe PDF

Documents should be printed, single-sided, on International/Japanese JIS A4-size paper.

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Types of Japanese Passports

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The vast majority of people that naturalize will probably apply for a "red" Japanese passport after their 戞籍 { koseki } (family register) is created — which takes about a couple weeks followed by a few weeks for the passport to be issued. It is not necessary to apply for a passport. Just like the United States, the vast majority of the populace never actually travels outside of their country for their lifetime. However, realisticly speaking, it's very likely that a naturalized person would have a Japanese passport as they most likely have family ties overseas. Language The passport is in two languages: English and Japanese. Very old passports, similar to my U.S. passport, also had French, the language of diplomacy. My oh my, how the French empire's influence has faded. My last U.S. passport added Spanish. My oh my, how South, Central, and Latin America's influence has increased! ☺ On current Japanese passports, the message from the Minister of Foreig...
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Pennies, compared to most other developed countries In 2010, an article was published here about how much it costs to apply for naturalization. It was true then, and it's still true now in 2022: The application itself is free . ¥0, nada, zilch. Compare that to the US ($725) , UK (£1,330) , Germany (€255) . However, there are many things throughout the process that can cost money: getting your civil documents both in Japan and your home country, tax documents, driving record, etc. You will also to make personal appearances to your local Legal Affairs Bureau. Here I will talk about how much it cost me personally, including the cost of gathering all documents, photocopying, travel, etc. List of Expenses Below is the list of my naturalization-related expenses. All told, it cost me about ¥18,500 to make a successful application. It is worth repeating: There is no application fee . Everything in the list above are expenses related to getting documents I need to submit with my naturaliza...
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All about Japanese personal inkan/hanko/chops/seals

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"signing" a payment slip at a bank In Japan (and other Asian countries), it is traditional practice to use an 印鑑 { inkan } ( aka 印章 { inshō } ) — colloquially called a 刀子 { hanko } in Japanese or "chop" in British English — instead of a signature for acknowledging / signing / accepting documents. Pedantically speaking, a 刀子 hanko is the actual stamping object, and an 印鑑 inkan is the ink impression that is made, but many native Japanese use the two words interchangeably. In the 21st century, Japanese recommend having three types of seals: one for casual informal acceptance: 認印 { mitomein } one for your bank accounts: 銀行印 { ginkō-in } the "real" registered one: ( 実印 { jitsuin } ) While it's perfectly possible to use just one seal for all of these functions, most people use at least two or three for the same reason that people should use different passwords for different services on the internet: in the case of a compromised s...
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