Adopted child of a Japanese national (simplified naturalization)
Citizenship in Japan
- Eligibility
- Foreign national adopted by a Japanese, minor under home law at adoption, 1y continuous domicile (Art.8(ii)); age/livelihood waived.
- Renunciation
- Not required
Who qualifies
- An adopted child of a Japanese national who has had a continuous domicile in Japan for 1+ year and was a minor under their home-country law at the time of adoption may be permitted to naturalize on relaxed conditions (Art. 8(ii)), waiving the Art. 5(1)(i) 5-year domicile, the (ii) age/capacity, and the (iv) livelihood requirements.
Legal basis
Primary legal authorities: Nationality Act Art.8(ii). Status: Operative (—present). Administering authority: Ministry of Justice (法務省), Civil Affairs Bureau, via the Legal Affairs Bureaus (法務局); consular missions (外務省) for notifications/applications filed abroad. Foreign national adopted by a Japanese, minor under home law at adoption, 1y continuous domicile (Art.8(ii)); age/livelihood waived.
Competent authority
- Adopted-minor naturalization under Art. 8(ii) is discretionary: it requires the permission of the Minister of Justice (Art. 4), and even where all conditions are met permission is not an entitlement.
Example scenarios
Li Wei qualifies for simplified naturalization under Art. 8(ii) (JP-ADP-01): adopted child of a Japanese national, minor under home-country law at adoption (Chinese law: 8 < 18 years), 1+ year continuous domicile (he has 7 years). The following Art. 5(1) conditions are waived: (i) 5-year domicile; (ii) age/capacity; and (iv) livelihood. He must still satisfy: good conduct (Art. 5(1)(iii)); sole-nationality — he must renounce Chinese citizenship or qualify for the Art. 5(2) special-circumstances waiver (China generally permits renunciation); and the constitutional-loyalty bar (Art. 5(1)(vi)). The application is filed in person at the Legal Affairs Bureau. No statutory fee. Processing ~8-12 months. Naturalization effective on Official Gazette date (Art. 10); koseki entry within 1 month.
Art. 8(ii): adopted child of JP national + minor under home law at adoption + 1+ year JP domicile | Waives: 5(1)(i) domicile, (ii) age, (iv) livelihood | Still requires: good conduct (iii), sole-nationality (v), loyalty (vi) | Adoption must be legally valid under both Chinese and Japanese law
Informational summary compiled from primary legal sources — not legal advice. Citizenship law changes; verify with the competent authority before acting. Last verified 2026-06-21.
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