Becoming Japanese

The clock gets rolled back for the U.S. case Whether you relinquish/lose your nationality (which is a requirement for Japanese naturalization) before the naturalization process completes or afterwards depends on the country of your original nationality. Japan would probably prefer that you lose your nationality prior to receiving your Japanese nationality, as it is a prerequisite for receiving Japanese nationality and is easier to verify and enforce when done beforehand. Statistically speaking, the vast majority of people who naturalize to Japanese are required to legally give up their previous nationalities prior or instantly/automatically  upon receiving Japanese nationality: this vast majority being the Chinese (both PRC & ROC ) and the Koreans (both ROK & DPRK ). Even applicants from the G-7 country of the United Kingdom are required to lose their nationality prior to naturalizing. If one is required to lose their nationality prior to receiving Japanese nat...