Child of a former Japanese national (historical-ties simplified)
Citizenship in Japan
- Eligibility
- Child of a person who was formerly Japanese — 3y reduced residence (Art.6(i)). Recognizes lineage/historical ties. (Operative simplified route; distinct from the historical loss-event routes.)
- Renunciation
- Not required
Who qualifies
- Simplified naturalization for a child of a FORMER Japanese national (Art. 6(i)): the child (excluding an adopted child) of a person who WAS a Japanese national, with 3+ years' continuous domicile or residence in Japan, may be naturalized with the Art. 5(1)(i) 5-year domicile condition waived (reduced to 3 years).
Timeline
- When naturalization is permitted, the Minister of Justice publishes a public notice (告示) in the Official Gazette (官報), and the naturalization takes legal effect on the date of that gazette notice (Art. 10(1)-(2)). - After naturalization takes effect on the gazette-notice date, the new Japanese national must file a notification of naturalization for koseki entry within 1 month (Family Register Act Art. 102-2), creating or joining a family register.
Legal basis
Primary legal authorities: Nationality Act Art.6(i). 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. Child of a person who was formerly Japanese — 3y reduced residence (Art.6(i)). Recognizes lineage/historical ties. (Operative simplified route; distinct from the historical loss-event routes.)
Competent authority
- Naturalization requires the permission of the Minister of Justice and is discretionary: even where all statutory conditions are met, naturalization is not conferred as of right (Art. 4: 帰化によつて日本の国籍を取得することができる / requires MOJ permission; Art. 5 'may not permit unless').
Example scenarios
Isabela may be eligible for the Art. 6(i) simplified naturalization (JP-HIS-01): the child of a person who WAS formerly a Japanese national, with 3+ years continuous domicile. Her mother is a 'former Japanese national' (日本国民であつた者) — she was born Japanese but renounced. Isabela meets: Art. 6(i) (former-Japanese parent + 3 years domicile). The 5-year domicile condition is reduced to 3 years. She must still satisfy the good-conduct, livelihood, sole-nationality, and loyalty conditions. This is a distinct route from Art. 8(i) (child of a CURRENT Japanese national) — Art. 6(i) requires the parent to have BEEN (former) Japanese, not currently Japanese. Isabela is not an adopted child (carve-out under Art. 6(i) for adopted children applies by analogy from the text: Art. 6(i) mirrors the 養子を除く language).
Art. 6(i): child of 'former' Japanese national + 3-year domicile | Mother was formerly Japanese (born Japanese, renounced 5 years before Isabela's birth) | Isabela was NOT Japanese at birth (mother not Japanese at time of birth) | Contrast: Art. 6(i) = former Japanese parent; Art. 8(i) = current Japanese parent
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.
Track changes to this route
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