Voluntary renunciation of Japanese nationality

• Where the person effecting a nationality act — Art. 3(1) acknowledged-children acquisition, Art. 17(1) reacquisition, a selection declaration, or an Art. 13 renunciation notification — is under 15 years of age, the act is performed by the statutory agent (法定代理人) on the person's behalf (Nationality Act Art. 18).

• A loss-of-nationality notification must be filed by the person, spouse, or a relative within the fourth degree within 1 month of learning of the loss, or 3 months if abroad on that day (Family Register Act Art. 103(1)); this records all loss routes (Art. 11 auto-loss, Art. 13 renunciation, Art. 15 demand-failure) in the koseki.

Primary legal authorities: Nationality Act Art.13. 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. A Japanese who holds a foreign nationality may renounce Japanese nationality by notification to the Minister of Justice; loss is effective at the time of notification (Art.13).