Naturalization for Child or adopted child or originally Japanese.

Shinichi Narita Visa & Naturalization Legal Office

Permanent, Business Manager, Working, Spouse, Long Term, SSW , Student, Dependent,Temporary Visa & Naturalization

Naturalization for Child or adopted child

Naturalization for Child, Adopted Child or Originally Japanse

Children of applicant who intend to apply to naturalization,
An adopted child by Japanese when he/she was a minor,
and original Japanese will be relaxed requirements than Act 5 naturalization Law.

Article 8 Nationality Law

The Minister of Justice may permit naturalization of a foreign national who falls under one of the following items even if that person has not met the conditions listed in Article 5, paragraph (1), item (i), item (ii) and item (iv):
(i) A child (excluding an adopted child) of a Japanese citizen, said child having a domicile in Japan;

(When you would like to apply for naturalization of the whole family, at the same time, if the father or mother is satisfied those conditions, Children will be also accepted at the same time.)


(ii) An adopted child of a Japanese citizen, said child continuously having a domicile in Japan for one year or more, and having been a minor according to his/her national law at the time of adoption;
(iii) A person having lost his/her Japanese nationality (excluding a person who lost his/her Japanese nationality after naturalization in Japan) having a domicile in Japan; or

According to Article 2 of the Nationality Law,

Article 2 A child shall be a Japanese citizen in the following cases:
(i) If the father or mother is a Japanese citizen at the time of birth;
(ii) If the father died before the child's birth and was a Japanese citizen at the time of death; or
(iii) If born in Japan and both of the parents are unknown or are without nationality.
A Child who was born in Japan and become stateless if he/she do not acquire Japanese nationality and the parents don’t know, then this paragraph is applied by Article 2, paragraph(3).


(iv) A person born in Japan, not having any nationality since the time of birth, and continuously having a domicile in Japan for three years or more since that time.

Article 9 


The Minister of Justice may obtain approval from the Diet and permit naturalization of a foreign national having provided a special distinguished service in Japan notwithstanding the provision of Article 5, paragraph (1).

Article 10 


(1) When permitting naturalization, the Minister of Justice shall provide public notice thereof in the official gazette.