Kimi Onoda discovered to have not done the "Choice of Nationality" properly
 |
| A Eurasian ハーフ (mixed race), some say she resembles Anne Hathaway (アン・ハサウェイ). |
Kimi Onoda was born in Chicago, Illinois, to an American father and a Japanese mother, in 1982. Her family returned to Japan, where she did all of her compulsory schooling and high school education in Setouchi City, Okayama Prefecture (岡山県瀬戸内市) before moving to Tokyo and graduating from Takushoku University (拓殖大学), having studied politics and economics. She obtained a license to be a high school teacher before working at a CD & game software creation company for three years. In 2011, she was successfully elected to a seat in the City Councilors in Kita, Tokyo (東京都北区) as a member of the LDP (自民党). She was re-elected in 2015 for a second term, but resigned in October of that year to run for a seat in the House of Councillors (参議院) representing Okayama's voting district (岡山県選挙区) in the National Diet (国会).
| |||
| 【名】 ([given name]) | 紀美 (Kimi) | ||
| 【国籍選択の宣言日】 ([Nationality Selection Declaration Date]) | 平成27年10月1日
(2015-Oct-1) | ||
| 【送付を受けた日】 ([Date Submission Received]) | 平成27年10月26日
(2015-Oct-26) | ||
| 【受理者】 ([Recipient]) | 東京都北区長
(Tokyo's Kita City/Ward Mayor) | ||
Prime Minster Abe, when asked on October 3rd, 2016 during a House of Representatives budgetary meeting about whether the members of his own political party only had Japanese nationality, replied,
「基本的にわが党の議員は二重国籍ではないとの認識に立っている」(
Basically, it is my understanding that no members of our party have dual nationality.) However, on the very next day, it was discovered that Kimi Onoda still possessed U.S. nationality because she had not followed through and done the final part of her Declaration of Nationality.
Kimi Onoda had this official statement, explanation, and apology regarding her actions, which accompanied the above self-posted portion of her 戸籍 (Japanese family register) on the internet:
小野田紀美です。An unofficial translation of the above could read:
国籍について、一部マスコミから取材がありましたので、経緯をご説明させて頂きます。
私は出生がアメリカ合衆国ですので、生まれた時から米国籍を有しておりました。成人した後に、どちらかの国籍を選ぶための通知書が送られてくると親に聞いておりましたが、結局その通知はこず、25歳前後の頃不安に思い外務省に確認したところ、日本のパスポートを使い日本の戸籍謄本があるならば日本国籍を失っていないから大丈夫だという回答を頂き、私は日本人になれたのだと解釈しておりました。
しかし、昨年（平成27年）、参議院議員に立候補を決意するにあたり万が一があってはならないと再度確認したところ、やはり自分で手続きをしなくては選択したことにならないと判明したため、立候補前の平成27年10月に日本国籍選択と米国籍放棄手続きを役所で終えました。戸籍謄本にも国籍選択が完了している旨が記載されております（画像参照 ）。
それで手続きは無事終了したと思っておりましたが、今回の蓮舫議員の二重国籍問題報道を受け、今一度詳細を調査したところ、米国の法においての放棄ができていなかったという経緯でございます。現在は、米国においての国籍放棄の手続きを進めております。私の知識不足でアメリカ国内での手続きという努力義務が完了できていなかったことにつきまして、皆様をご不安にさせてしまい大変申し訳ございませんでした。今後はこのようなご心配をおかけすることがないように、さらに慎重に手続きを行ってまいります。
This is Kimi Onoda.An interesting aspect of this case is that Kimi Onoda was born before 1985 — meaning she is not legally obligated by law to do the Choice of Nationality procedure. For these cases, it is assumed that Japanese nationals born before this date have chosen Japanese nationality. This means that at least in the world of politics, it is also assumed that people born before 1985 will also endeavor to legally and formally rid themselves of non-Japanese nationalities.
Some of the mass media has been reporting issues regarding my nationality, so I thought I'd like to explain the situation myself.
Because I was born in the United States of America, I obtained U.S. nationality from birth. After reaching the age of majority, I heard from my parents that they received a written notice regarding choosing nationality. Eventually, some time had passed since that notice, and at around the age of 25 I was feeling anxious about it so I checked with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They told me that if I was using a Japanese passport and I had a Japanese family register then I had not lost my Japanese nationality therefore I had nothing to worry about. I understood this to mean that I had become Japanese.
However, last year (2015), upon deciding that I would become a candidate for the House of Councillors, I decided to confirm once again. It became clear that I had some procedures and a choice that I had to make. Before I ran for that office, I completed the choice of nationality and gave up my U.S. nationality. This was noted on my Japanese family register (refer to the accompanying image).
With this, I thought that I had completed the procedures without incident. However, due to the reporting of MP Renho's dual nationality problem in the media, a more thorough investigation has occurred, and I learned that according to U.S. law I had not given up my nationality. I am currently in the process of giving up my U.S. nationality. Regarding my lack of knowledge of the procedures on the American side relating to making an effort to my duty to relinquish my foreign nationality, I'd like to deeply and humbly apologize to everybody for causing so much concern. I will endeavor to make sure I do no cause so much worry by carefully following procedures.
The succession of lawmakers that are supposed to exclusively represent the will of the Japanese People being discovered to be legally connected to foreign governments and laws has led some to call for legislation banning dual nationals from assuming public positions with legislative, judicial, or executive powers. (executive powers can include things such as police officers, fire fighters, and even teachers as these positions are given rights to order Japanese to do things). While many countries in the world have laws banning those with dual or one foreign nationality from certain positions, Japan does not yet have laws which ban multi-nationals from certain positions. It does have laws preventing non-Japanese nationals from certain public positions.
