N03 Nine patterns of Simplified Naturalization

What is the Simplified Naturalization

There are 3 types of Naturalization as below.

1. Ordinary Naturalization
2. Simplified Naturalization
3. Special Naturalization

But people from abroad with deep ties to Japan can apply for 2. Simplified Naturalization with relaxed requirements.
Those who meet the following 9 conditions can apply for Simplified Naturalization. 
However, with the requirements for Naturalization relaxed, in practice, the number of documents to be prepared could increase.
So, unfortunately it seems that naturalization process still will remain time-consuming for you.

1. A child (excluding an adopted child) of a person who was once a Japanese citizen and has continued to have a domicile/residence in Japan for 3 years or more.

For example, if the parents were originally Japanese and later immigrated (naturalized) to a foreign country and gave birth to a child over there, that child would fall under this category.
In that case, you don’t have to live in Japan for 5 years (requirements for ordinary Naturalization) before Naturalization application, and if only you live in Japan for 3 years, you can apply for Simplified Naturalization.

2. A person who was born in Japan and has had a domicile/residence in Japan for 3 consecutive years or more, or whose father or mother (excluding adoptive parents) was born in Japan.

This applies mainly to Special Permanent Residents of South Korean, North Korean and Taiwanese nationality.
In that case, you don’t have to live in Japan for 5 years (requirements for Ordinary Naturalization) before Naturalization application, and if you live in Japan for 3 years, you can apply for Simplified Naturalization.

3. A person who has had a residence in Japan continuously for 10 years or more

This applies mainly to Special Permanent Residents of South Korean, North Korean and Taiwanese nationality.
Just like I informed you in the previous article, “1. Housing requirements of N02 Seven requirements for ordinary naturalization”, in this case, the requirements for working for 3 years (requirements for Ordinary Naturalization) will be relaxed, and you can apply for Simplified Naturalization after working for 1 year.

4. A person from abroad who is the spouse of a Japanese national, has a domicile/residence in Japan for at least 3 years and currently has a domicile in Japan.

People from abroad who have lived in Japan for more than 3 years can apply for Simplified Naturalization just after they marry a Japanese citizen.
And you are regarded as an adult in Japan when you get married, so it is possible to apply for Simplified Naturalization even if you are under 18 years old.

5. A person from abroad who is the spouse of a Japanese national, has passed 3 years since the date of marriage, and has had a domicile/residence in Japan for 1 year or longer.

A person from abroad can apply for Simplified Naturalization when 3 years or more have passed since the person married a Japanese citizen (regardless of whether they have been abroad or in Japan) and when they have lived in Japan for 1 year or more.
Specifically, this applies to cases in which a person from abroad who married a Japanese citizen internationally and lived abroad came to Japan as a couple and started married life in Japan.
And you are regarded as an adult in Japan when you get married, so it is possible to apply for Simplified Naturalization even if you are under 18 years old.

6. A child of a Japanese national (excluding adopted children) who has a domicile/residence in Japan

This applies to the case where the father, mother or parents have Japanese nationality (even if they are naturalized) and the child applies for Naturalization later.
Also, this applies if you are a child of a Japanese national but did not select Japanese nationality when selecting your nationality and later apply for naturalization.
This is applicable to those who are under 18 years old.

7. An adopted child of a Japanese national who has had a domicile/residence in Japan for at least 1 year and who was a minor at the time of the adoption.

This applies to children of foreign nationality whose biological father or mother married a Japanese citizen internationally and who were adopted by the remarried Japanese when they were still minors.
Specifically, when you come to Japan as a minor, your biological mother remarries a Japanese citizen, and then you are adopted by your father-in-law (Japanese).
However, you need to have lived in Japan for at least 1 year and have to be a minor at the time of adoption.
And this is applicable to those who are under 18 years old.

8. A person who has lost Japanese nationality (excluding those who lost Japanese nationality after being naturalized in Japan) and has a domicile/residence in Japan

This applies to those who were originally Japanese nationals but have become naturalized in another country.
However, this does not apply to those who have been naturalized in Japan once before and are currently of foreign nationality.
And this is applicable to those who are under 18 years old.

9. A person who was born in Japan, has no nationality since birth, and has had an domicile/residence in Japan for 3 years or longer.

This applies to children born in Japan to parents from abroad who have the nationality of a country that adopts the birthplace principle.
Since Japan adopts the pedigree principle, if both parents are from abroad, their children are not automatically granted Japanese nationality even if they were born in Japan.
In addition, in the case of foreign countries that adopt the birthplace principle, nationality will not be granted to newborn babies unless they are born in their own country.
Therefore, if a child is born in Japan to parents from abroad who have the nationality of a country that adopts the birthplace principle, the child will become stateless by slipping through the cracks between international laws.
So, this type of Simple Naturalization also tries to rescue such children.
Also, this is applicable to those who are under 18 years old.

Summary

Finally, below is a simplified list of the relaxed requirements for each of the 9 types of Simple Naturalization.

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