Tokyo: The Japanese government and ruling parties are contemplating a significant change to the naturalization process by extending the residency requirement for acquiring Japanese nationality from the current five years to at least 10 years. This adjustment is aimed at aligning the naturalization residency requirement with that of obtaining permanent residency, according to informed sources.

According to Philippines News Agency, the change is expected to be implemented through modifications in the administration of the nationality law rather than by revising the legislation itself. The Japan Innovation Party, which was an opposition party but has since become a junior ruling party, highlighted in a September policy proposal that the current naturalization requirements are less stringent than those for permanent residency. This concern is echoed within the main ruling Liberal Democratic Party, leading Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to instruct a review of the system.

The existing nationality law mandates that applicants must have lived in Japan for at least five years, be 18 or older, demonstrate good behavior, have financial stability, and comply with the Constitution. The Justice Ministry emphasizes that these are minimum criteria and do not guarantee citizenship; however, they believe the criteria can be further tightened administratively.

In light of these changes, the government plans to introduce exceptions for specific applicants, such as athletes who have competed in Japan for a certain duration, allowing them to acquire nationality even if they do not meet the proposed 10-year residency requirement. The revised residency requirement is anticipated to be part of a broader policy outline on foreign nationals, expected to be released as early as next month.

The Justice Ministry reported that in 2024, a total of 12,248 individuals applied for naturalization in Japan, with 8,863 applications approved.