The Japanese government announced on Friday, March 27, that it will double the minimum residency requirement for naturalization to 10 years starting April 1, as part of ongoing reforms to tighten the rules for acquiring Japanese nationality.
In a statement, Japan’s Ministry of Justice said the move follows a broader policy framework introduced earlier this year to better align naturalization standards with those used for permanent residency.
“Based on the ‘Comprehensive Measures for Acceptance of Foreigners and Orderly Coexistence’ compiled on January 23, we have been considering how to tighten the examination process for naturalization from the perspective of consistency with the examination for permanent residency permits,” the ministry said.
It added that from April 1, the requirement for “integration into Japanese society” will be applied more strictly. “In principle, applicants will need to have resided in Japan for 10 years or more and be integrated into Japanese society,” the statement noted.
The change effectively doubles the previous minimum of five years of continuous residence and reinforces existing conditions under Japan’s Nationality Act, including the ability to function in Japanese in everyday life.
Beyond residency, the ministry said it will also expand scrutiny around applicants’ conduct and financial stability. The verification period for tax payments will be extended to five years, while checks on social insurance contributions will increase to two years, up from the current one-year requirement.
“Under these new procedures, we will continue to thoroughly conduct rigorous examinations on a case-by-case basis,” the ministry said.
Those who have already submitted applications will also be assessed under the updated rules.
In Japan, naturalization allows foreign nationals to apply for citizenship, provided they meet requirements around residency, good conduct, financial independence, and giving up other nationalities.
Justice Minister Hiroshi Hiraguchi addressed the reasoning behind the revision, acknowledging long-standing concerns about the system’s balance.
“There have been criticisms that naturalization is granted more easily than permanent residency, and that this is a problem,” he said, framing the change as a direct response to those concerns.
He explained that while the Nationality Act still sets a baseline of five years’ residence, the updated approach raises the bar in practice. “On the premise that naturalization applicants meet the residency requirement of five years or more as stipulated by the Nationality Act, the revision will be made from the perspective of consistency with the examination for permanent residency,” Hiraguchi said, adding that applicants will now, in principle, be expected to have lived in Japan for at least 10 years and demonstrate deeper integration into society.
According to the minister, the extended residency expectation falls within the discretionary powers of the Justice Ministry and does not present any legal conflict. “This revision requires a certain period of residence within the discretion of the Minister of Justice, and we do not believe there is any particular problem,” he noted.
David Adubiina
