Becoming Japanese

Sometimes applying for citizenship can feel like applying to get into a University. Lots of transcripts and application forms, a section for certifications, and there's even an essay you have to write regarding why you want to "get in". Despite those superficial similarities, though, letters of recommendation — be it from employers or teachers — are not asked for, are not needed, and even if you voluntarily present them, won't affect the outcome. Most likely, your case worker will reject any attempt to present a recommendation letter, as a recommendation letter doesn't really fit into the requirements — except for perhaps the general clause about being "of good character." But being of good character simply means you haven't committed any crimes or associate with criminals or terrorists. And unlike a visa application or a permanent residency application, you do not need a sponsor or guarantor to naturalize. So although individuals can't s...

I saw a post on another site a few weeks ago that implied that you lose either your Japanese national retirement pension ( 年金 { nenkin } ) (that you earned as a non-Japanese) or your Social Security (that you earned when you were an American citizen before you relinquish your citizenship for naturalization) because when you naturalize, it's as if the "old you" is destroyed and a "new you" with a new nationality is legally created. This is 100% false. In the eyes of both of these programs, since both allow either non-citizens or citizens to participate, your citizenship is irrelevant to whether you can participate in them or not. To them, when you naturalize, the only thing you need to do is inform them of any legal name change. The same thing is done when a person marries and changes their name, or changes their legal name for other reasons. I can personally confirm that I still have access to both my Japanese pension (earned prior to naturalizing) and...

American Donald Richie ( ドナルド・リチー { Donarudo · RICHĪ } ) passed away at the age of 88 on February 19, 2013 in Tokyo. Like Donald Keene, he's famous for being a "Japologist", or an expert on Japanese culture from the perspective and for the perspective of non-Japanese, especially back in the era right after the war when travel to Japan by non-Japanese was rare and little was known about Japan other than trivial facts and stereotypes. I don't think that job is available anymore. His cultural contributions to society were massive: while being best known for introducing Japanese film to the English world, first through writing and then in the late 20th century he provided audio commentary via DVDs, he has authored over forty books (and was the subject of four), he created about a dozen 8mm & 16mm films, and he was responsible for the English subtitles for a few of 黒澤　明 { KUROSAWA Akira } 's masterpieces. He received many honors for his work and is a househol...

We've received a few questions about the continuous physical residency requirement for Japanese naturalization. As mentioned before, the official requirement for Japanese naturalization is five (5) years of continuous residency. If you qualify for 簡易帰化 { kan'i kika } (simplified naturalization) — usually due to a significant family connection to a Japanese national (such as marriage for many years) — that continuous residency requirement can drop to either three (3) years or one (1) year. "Physical" residency means exactly what it says: being physically present in the nation of Japan most of the time. Merely having a continuous 在留資格 { zairyū shikaku } (Status of Residence) with a 在留カード { zairyū kādo } (Resident Card) for the length of time is not enough. The purpose for this rule is to discourage "citizens of convenience"; that is, to keep people from earning the right to naturalize that don't actually live in Japan, even if they legally have...