Born-in-Japan / parent-born / 10-year reduced-residence naturalization (Art.6(ii)/(iii))
Citizenship in Japan
- Eligibility
- 3-year reduced domicile for a person born in Japan or whose parent was born in Japan (Art.6(ii)), or 10+ years continuous residence (Art.6(iii)); other Art.5 conditions apply. (Art.6(i) child-of-former-Japanese = JP-HIS-01.)
- Renunciation
- Not required
Who qualifies
- Simplified naturalization for the Japan-born / parent-born-in-Japan track (Art. 6(ii)): a person born in Japan with 3+ years' continuous domicile or residence, OR whose father or mother (excluding adoptive) was born in Japan, may be naturalized with the 5-year domicile condition waived (3 years). - Simplified naturalization 10-year-residence limb (Art. 6(iii)): a person with 10+ years' continuous RESIDENCE (居所) in Japan may be naturalized with the Art. 5(1)(i) 5-year-domicile condition waived. (Note Art. 6 uses 居所/residence here, distinct from 住所/domicile.)
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. 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. 3-year reduced domicile for a person born in Japan or whose parent was born in Japan (Art.6(ii)), or 10+ years continuous residence (Art.6(iii)); other Art.5 conditions apply. (Art.6(i) child-of-former-Japanese = JP-HIS-01.)
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
Hiroshi can pursue simplified naturalization under Art. 6(ii) (JP-HIS-02): a person born in Japan, with 3+ years continuous domicile (he has 52 years). The 5-year domicile condition (Art. 5(1)(i)) is reduced to 3 years. His parent being born in Japan is an alternative limb under Art. 6(ii) even if he had not been born in Japan himself. Either way, he easily qualifies. He must still satisfy: good conduct (Art. 5(1)(iii)) — satisfied; livelihood (Art. 5(1)(iv)) — must be assessed; sole-nationality (Art. 5(1)(v)) — must renounce Korean nationality (South or North Korea nationality as applicable); loyalty bar (Art. 5(1)(vi)) — no issue. No statutory fee. The historical pattern: ~80% of Japan's 610,208 cumulative naturalizations (as of 2024) involved persons of Korean or Chinese descent, the majority being Zainichi.
Art. 6(ii): born in Japan + 3-year reduced domicile → satisfies (52 years) | Also qualifies via parent-born-in-Japan limb of Art. 6(ii) | Must renounce Korean nationality (Art. 5(1)(v)) — Korea generally permits renunciation
Art. 6(iii) (JP-HIS-02) specifically uses the term 居所 (residence) rather than 住所 (domicile) — this is the ONLY Art. 6 limb that accepts residence rather than domicile. If Zhao Wei has had 10+ years of continuous 居所 (residence) in Japan, he may qualify for this reduced-domicile track. However, the distinction between 居所 and 住所 matters: even under Art. 6(iii), he must satisfy the 住所 requirement of Art. 5(1)(i) overall — Art. 6(iii) effectively means that 10 years of 居所 satisfies the Art. 5(1)(i) requirement that would otherwise require 5 years of 住所. His living situation needs careful assessment: if his primary center of life was consistently Japan (even if he maintained a Shanghai address), he may qualify. The other Art. 5 conditions still apply: good conduct, livelihood (on household basis), sole-nationality (renounce Chinese citizenship), loyalty. No statutory fee.
Art. 6(iii) uses 居所 (residence), not 住所 (domicile) — broader than the domicile-based tracks | 10+ years continuous 居所 satisfies the Art. 5(1)(i) condition via Art. 6(iii) | Other Art. 5 conditions (good conduct, livelihood, sole-nationality, loyalty) still apply | Living situation assessment: is Japan his primary center of life?
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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