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Foreign-born Japanese




By Japanese laws, adult persons generally cannot hold both foreign citizenship and Japanese citizenship ( Dual Nationality ):
  • those who have acquired dual nationality before age 20 must choose a single nationality before reaching age 22.

  • those who have acquired dual nationality after age 20 must choose a single nationality in 2 years.


Many who naturalize as Japanese also adopt a Japanese Name , although this is not required.

No law forbids a foreign-born Japanese to be elected as a member of Diet (as Marutei Tsurunen in fact became one), thus in theory they may become the Prime Minister Of Japan .

Probably because of the difficulty of gaining citizenship and because of cultural difference, foreign-born Japanese people account for a very small percentage of the demography in Japan. Unlike some countries where people born natively are automatically given a citizenship, many who are born and live in Japan permanently, particularly Korean and Chinese , tend to maintain their citizenship. There has been a constant discussion among the government and lawmakers whether to give them some status similar to that of a Permanent Resident in the United States .


NOTABLE FOREIGN-BORN JAPANESE



Japanese by birth



Japanese by naturalization



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