Japan · Citizenship
Japanese Naturalization for Founders
Japan's Nationality Act sets a five-year residence minimum for naturalization, but since 1 April 2026 the Ministry of Justice requires in principle ten years of residence. Applicants must normally give up their previous nationality.
- Startup route
- Startup Visa (Designated Activities)
- Minimum capital
- About JPY 30 million to qualify as Business Manager
- Permanent residence
- 1 or 3 years via HSP points; 10 years otherwise
- Citizenship
- 5 years by law; 10 in principle since April 2026
Naturalization (Nationality Act, Article 5)
Naturalization is granted at the discretion of the Minister of Justice to foreign nationals who meet the conditions in Article 5 of the Nationality Act. The law requires continuous domicile in Japan for at least five years, age 18 or over and adulthood under the home country's law, good conduct, the ability to make a living, and the loss of any existing nationality on naturalization, subject to narrow exceptions. Applicants must not plan or advocate the violent overthrow of the government. The ministry also expects everyday Japanese in speaking, reading and writing, and integration into Japanese society. Meeting every condition does not mean approval will follow, and applications are handled by the Legal Affairs Bureau for the applicant's area.
- Legal minimum
- 5 years of continuous domicile in Japan
- Practice since 2026
- 10 years of residence in principle, from 1 April 2026
- Age
- 18 or over and an adult under home-country law
- Language
- Everyday Japanese: speaking, reading and writing
- Dual nationality
- Prior nationality must, in principle, be lost
- Where to apply
- Legal Affairs Bureau covering the applicant's address
Requirements
- Live in Japan continuously for at least five years under the law, and in principle ten years under current practice.
- Be at least 18 and an adult under the law of the home country.
- Show good conduct, judged on criminal record, tax payment and social behavior.
- Show the household can make a living in Japan without hardship.
- Be stateless or lose the existing nationality on naturalization, unless that cannot be done by the applicant's own will.
- Have everyday Japanese ability and be integrated into Japanese society.
How to apply
- Consult the Legal Affairs Bureau for the applicant's area about the documents required.
- Gather residence, tax, social insurance and family records, plus proof of nationality.
- File the application in person and attend the interviews the bureau arranges.
- If approved, complete the steps to lose the previous nationality and register in Japan.
Stricter naturalization review from April 2026
At a post-cabinet press conference on 27 March 2026, the Minister of Justice announced that from 1 April 2026 naturalization reviews would in principle require ten or more years of residence as part of the condition that an applicant be integrated into Japanese society. The ministry also lengthened the period over which applicants' tax and social insurance payment records are checked under the good conduct and livelihood conditions. The Nationality Act itself still states a five-year minimum; the change is applied through the minister's discretion in reviewing applications rather than through an amendment to the law.
The ministry's own nationality Q&A now reflects this, listing everyday Japanese ability and ten or more years of residence as examples of integration into Japanese society. The change narrows the gap with permanent residence, which already required about ten years on the general route. For founders, it means naturalization is unlikely to come earlier than permanent residence, and Highly Skilled Professional status shortens the path to permanent residence but not to Japanese nationality.
One nationality, and no investment route
Japan does not accept dual nationality for adults who naturalize. Under Article 11 of the Nationality Act, a Japanese national who voluntarily acquires a foreign nationality loses Japanese nationality, and under Article 14 a Japanese national who also holds a foreign nationality must choose one within the deadlines set by law. Japan has no citizenship-by-investment program, and investment leads to residence only through the Business Manager status; for nationality, capital matters only through the livelihood condition. Founders weighing Japanese nationality should treat it as a decision to give up their current passport.
Questions and answers
Is the residence requirement for Japanese naturalization five or ten years?
Both figures apply in different ways. The Nationality Act sets a minimum of five years of continuous domicile, but since 1 April 2026 the Ministry of Justice requires in principle ten or more years of residence when assessing whether an applicant is integrated into Japanese society. In practice, founders should plan around ten years.
Must a founder give up their passport to become Japanese?
Generally yes. Naturalization requires that the applicant be stateless or lose the previous nationality, with an exception only where the applicant cannot give it up by their own will. A Japanese national who later acquires another nationality voluntarily loses Japanese nationality under Article 11 of the Nationality Act.
Is there an investor route to Japanese nationality?
No. Japan has no citizenship-by-investment program and no passive investor visa. Investment matters only through statuses such as Business Manager, which now expects about JPY 30 million in a business, and through the livelihood condition for naturalization. Nationality is decided on residence, conduct, livelihood and integration.
Where are naturalization applications filed in Japan?
Applications are handled by the Legal Affairs Bureau or District Legal Affairs Bureau responsible for the applicant's address, not by the Immigration Services Agency. Applicants usually consult the bureau first to confirm which documents are needed, since the required documents vary from case to case.
Official sources
- 国籍Q&Awww.moj.go.jp
- 国籍法www.moj.go.jp
- 法務大臣閣議後記者会見の概要www.moj.go.jp
Reviewed October 2026. Immigration rules change often. Confirm the current requirements with the official authority or a licensed adviser before applying.
Your path in Japan.
Startup visa
Designated Activities for up to 2 years under a METI-certified organization
02Temporary residence
Business Manager: JPY 30 million, one full-time hire, Japanese ability
03Permanent residence
1 or 3 years with HSP points; generally 10 years of residence otherwise
04Citizenship
Nationality Act sets 5 years; ministry requires 10 in principle since 2026