Could you pass a Japanese Citizenship Test?

People that naturalize to become U.S. citizens must pass a U.S. citizenship test to become legally American. There are lots of web sites that teach you how to pass it. For Japan, there is no quiz. The only thing that comes close is the need to be able to speak and read Japanese during the interviews with the case workers. Technically speaking, it's part of the requirement that you can demonstrate that you have the skills to provide for your livelihood in Japan. If your Japanese language skills are weak, they may actually ask you to take a small quiz demonstrating that you have the Japanese literacy (as in Japanese sinogram and syllabet recognition and recall) ability of a primary/elementary school student in the third (3rd) grade. However, unlike the U.S. Citizenship Test for naturalization — which can be taken in languages other than English for certain applicants — your interviews will not have any sort of questions testing your knowledge of Japanese civics or history. And while there have been a few unconfirmed / unsourced rumors on the internet about case workers checking for cultural assimilation during the home inspection, this has not been confirmed and they do not acknowledge, either verbally or written, that this is part of the acceptance requirements.

For my first job in Japan, with was with the JET (Japan Exchange and Teaching) Programme, the interviewers asked me a few questions about Japan. One was who was the prime minister of Japan. I didn't know at the time, but I did know who the Crown Prince was marrying. They asked me if I knew and Japanese. I smiled and said 「スコシ」 {｢sukoshi｣} ("a little"). They then switched to Japanese, which I didn't understand at the time. I smiled without replying. So they switched back to English and asked me if I knew anything about Japan's culture. I said not really, other than the fact I had just read Michael Crichton's book Rising Sun. and Karl van Wolferen's book The Enigma of Japanese Power. I was 100% sure I failed my pop quiz & interview, but I guess my interviewers were looking for somebody that knew nothing or needed an education about Japan. Either that or they had a warped sense of humor. Anyway, here I am.

Thinking about the U.S. test and my original pop quiz, I imagined for fun what a "Citizenship Quiz" for Japanese naturalization would look like, basing it on the type of questions that appear on the U.S. "Citizenship Test" for those that naturalize. I intentionally did not make it easy, but unlike the U.S. version, it is multiple choice.

No cheating by searching for the answers on the web during the test! Let me know how you did in the comments.

1. How many prefectures does Japan currently have?
A. four
B. fifty
C. forty seven
D. fifty one
E. two hundred forty two
F. ninety seven
G. ten
H. one hundred
I. eight
J. zero; Japan has provinces, not prefectures

2. Which of these personal names is NOT a current living member of the Japanese Imperial Family?
A. Masako
B. Michiko
C. Masahito
D. Aiko
E. Noriko
F. Ayako
G. Kiko
H. Hisahito
I. Hidesaburo
J. The imperial family do not have personal names; they have titles only. If a commoner marries into the Imperial House, their former names are removed.

3. What type of government does Japan currently have?
A. representative democratic, absolute monarchy with a bicameral parliament and a unitary power structure
B. representative democratic, constitutional monarchy with a bicameral parliament and a federal power structure
C. representative democratic, constitutional monarchy with a bicameral parliament and a imperial power structure
D. representative democratic, constitutional monarchy with a unicameral parliament and a unitary power structure
E. representative democratic, constitutional monarchy with a bicameral parliament and a unitary power structure
F. direct democratic, constitutional monarchy with a bicameral parliament and a unitary power structure
G. representative democratic, constitutional monarchy with a bicameral parliament and a confederal power structure
H. representative democratic, constitutional monarchy with a bicameral parliament and a hegemony power structure
I. representative democratic republic with a bicameral parliament and a unitary power structure
J. None of the above; it is a hybrid system combining U.S. elements with British elements while preserving the Imperial Dynasty due to the influence from the Potsdam Declaration.

4. How many Articles does the current Constitution of Japan have?
 A. ten
 B. one hundred three
 C. twenty seven
 D. seventy six
 E. fifty
 F. eleven
 G. nine
 H. sixty
 I. thirty one
 J. Articles were abolished after the Meiji Constitution and the end of the Empire of Japan. There are only Amendments

5. How many Amendments does the current Constitution of Japan have?
 A. ten
 B. one hundred three
 C. twenty seven
 D. seventy six
 E. fifty
 F. eleven
 G. nine
 H. sixty
 I. thirty one
 J. None; no amendments have been promugated by the Emperor

6. What is the address of the Tokyo Imperial Palace / Imperial Residence?
 A. Chiyoda Ward, Chiyoda 1-1
 B. Chiyoda Ward, Ichibanchō 1-1
 C. Chiyoda Ward, Ōtemachi 1-1
 D. Shinjuku Ward, Kabukichō 1-1
 E. Shibuya Ward, Shibuya 1-1
 F. Edogawa Ward, Ichinoe 1-1
 G. Edogawa Ward, Edogawa 1-1
 H. Shimane Ward, Takeshima 1-1
 I. Minato Ward, Roppongi 1-1
 J. the Imperial Palace has no address. You just address it “The Imperial Palace” with the special postal code of 000-0000

7. Which one of the following IS a verse from the national anthem of Japan?
 A. Iwao ni narite
 B. Hi no maru ni
 C. Chiyo ni hachiyo ni
 D. Oseiwa ni naranu
 E. Sazare-chiyo no
 F. Koke no musu made
 G. Kimi da zo
 H. Atasha hontō naisu bodi
 I. Iro wa nioedo
 J. After the fall of the Empire of Japan and rise of the democratic state of Japan, there is only a de facto anthem. There is no official anthem.

8. Which of the following is NOT a political party currently represented in the National Diet as of December 14, 2012?
 A. Social Democratic Party
 B. Happiness Realization Party
 C. Sunrise Party of Japan
 D. New Party Nippon
 E. Japanese Communist Party
 F. New Komeito
 G. Your Party
 H. Democratic Party of Japan
 I. New Renaissance Party
 J. None of the above; they are all parties with at least one seat in the upper or lower house

9. Who on this list has never been Prime Minister of Japan?
 A. MORI Yoshirō
 B. KAIFU Toshiki
 C. UNO Sōsuke
 D. AKEBONO Tarō
 E. HOSOKAWA Morihiro
 F. KOIZUMI Jun’ichirō
 G. FUKUDA Yasuo
 H. OBUCHI Keizo
 I. MURAYAMA Tomiichi
 J. None of the above

10. Which of the following is NOT a right, freedom, or duty listed in the Constitution of Japan?
 A. freedom to choose and change one's residence and to choose one's occupation
 B. the right to receive an equal education correspondent to their ability
 C. the right of workers to organize and to bargain and act collectively
 D. academic freedom
 E. freedom of assembly and association as well as speech, press and all other forms of expression
 F. freedom of religion
 G. freedom of thought and conscience
 H. the right and the obligation to work
 I. the right to maintain the minimum standards of wholesome and cultured living
 J. All of the above are in the Constitution’s Chapter III: Rights and Duties of the People

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