(JAPAN) Japan is preparing to tighten its naturalization regime in a way that could almost double the time many foreign residents must live in the country before gaining citizenship, moving the practical requirement from five consecutive years of residence to around ten years. The shift, which officials have linked to a broader policy package on foreign nationals due in January 2026, would bring naturalization closer to the long‑standing ten‑year standard that already applies to most permanent residency cases.
Current legal framework and written requirements
Under the current Japanese Nationality Act, foreign nationals can in theory apply for citizenship after meeting several basic naturalization requirements. These include:
- Five consecutive years of domicile in Japan with a valid status of residence
- Being 20 years or older
- Having good conduct
- Proving financial stability
- Showing respect for the Japanese Constitution
- Agreeing to give up previous nationality (Japan generally does not allow dual nationality for adults)
For spouses of Japanese citizens and people with strong ties to the country, the law already offers shorter residence periods and some relaxed conditions.
Shift in interpretation and practice
In practice, however, the government under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is signaling that these rules will be interpreted much more strictly.
Officials have been discussing ways to extend the “effective” residence requirement so that, even if the statute continues to state five consecutive years, many applicants would actually need closer to around ten years of continuous, stable life in Japan before they have a realistic chance at approval.
A midterm report by a Ministry of Justice advisory group noted that naturalization requirements are currently “more lenient” than those for permanent residency, and that this gap should be narrowed.
Comprehensive Policy Package on Foreign Nationals (early 2026)
The coming changes are expected to be spelled out in a Comprehensive Policy Package on Foreign Nationals scheduled for early 2026.
Government sources describe the goal as making naturalization “substantially more difficult,” especially for people whose stay in Japan has been short, unstable, or marked by gaps in tax or insurance payments.
While the wording of the Nationality Act may not change immediately, internal screening standards at the Ministry of Justice’s Legal Affairs Bureaus are likely to tighten sharply once the package is adopted.
Comparison with permanent residency
One central point in the debate is the comparison with permanent residence:
- At present, most foreign residents seeking permanent residency must show around ten years of lawful residence in Japan.
- Certain highly skilled workers can qualify in three to five years under a points‑based system.
- Oddly, citizenship has often been reachable faster through the five consecutive years rule, despite citizenship conferring fuller rights such as voting and a Japanese passport.
Officials argue that this mismatch is illogical and that the bar for naturalization should at least match long‑term expectations for permanent residents.
Stronger emphasis on tax and social insurance records
The government wants to place much stronger weight on tax and social insurance records when checking naturalization requirements.
- Under the current system, applicants must show they pay income tax and are enrolled in public health insurance and pension systems.
- Legal Affairs Bureaus have sometimes accepted short gaps or late payments if the applicant later corrected the problem.
The new approach under discussion would be far less forgiving. Past failures to pay taxes or national health and elderly insurance premiums could seriously damage or even derail an application, even when the applicant now has a stable job and no criminal record.
Officials say this shift responds to concerns about unpaid public obligations among some foreign residents and public anger over visa overstays and unauthorized work. Under the Takaichi administration, these worries feed into a wider “law and order” message on immigration policy.
The government frames the changes as building a “safe, secure, orderly, and inclusive society”, but the measures being discussed tilt toward tighter control rather than wider access to citizenship.
Impacts on long‑term immigrants and families
For long‑term immigrants who have built lives in Japan, the possible jump from five consecutive years to around ten years of effective residence could reshape life plans.
- Foreign workers arriving in their mid‑20s expecting citizenship in their early 30s might now wait until their late 30s or 40s.
- Children who grew up in Japan but whose parents failed to enroll them properly in systems may face steeper paths to citizenship.
Human rights groups and some local officials worry the tougher stance could leave a growing group of long‑term residents in limbo. Many have already spent around ten years or more in Japan, speak Japanese fluently, pay taxes, and raise children who know no other home. Critics say tightening practical residence periods and paperwork standards signals that the state prefers foreign workers to remain guests rather than equal citizens.
What case officers are doing now
Lawyers handling nationality cases report the change in tone is already visible. Case officers are:
- Asking more detailed questions about insurance enrollment
- Checking city tax records carefully
- Pressing applicants to show stable, long‑term employment rather than successive short contracts
- Monitoring Japanese language skills more closely; applicants are expected to handle official paperwork and everyday communication at about JLPT N3–N2 level, even where no formal written test exists in some bureaus
International context
According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, Japan’s move contrasts with trends in several advanced economies that are trying to attract foreign talent by trimming residence periods or easing language rules to encourage settlement. Japan appears to be moving toward a stricter, more cautious model—particularly where permanent residents seek full political membership through naturalization.
Discretion, appeals, and procedural realities
The government emphasizes that naturalization has never been an automatic right, even when people meet the written naturalization requirements.
- Under the Nationality Act, the Minister of Justice has wide discretion to approve or reject applications.
- There is no formal appeal system for refusals, and applicants who are denied often receive only brief explanations, if any.
That basic structure will not change. Instead, the planned policy package would adjust internal standards used by case officers, pushing them to require longer residence, cleaner compliance records, and stronger signs of social integration.
Business and labor market considerations
Business groups are watching closely. Japan’s aging population and shrinking workforce have already led companies and the government to rely more on foreign labor across sectors.
- For some workers, the promise of citizenship after five consecutive years has been part of Japan’s appeal.
- If the promise shifts toward around ten years plus stricter conditions, employers fear Japan could become less attractive in the global talent race.
Officials counter that a clear and demanding path may strengthen public trust. By ensuring citizenship is granted to people with long, stable ties and spotless records, they argue, Japanese nationality retains strong meaning.
The Ministry of Justice also notes that people with Japanese spouses or with deep family ties will still have access to shorter residence periods under existing Nationality Act provisions, even if screening becomes tougher overall.
Likely implementation scenarios
Details remain under discussion, but one likely scenario is:
- Legal Affairs Bureaus continue to accept applications after five consecutive years of residence.
- In practice, approvals go mostly to applicants with longer, uninterrupted stays—often near or above around ten years—and perfect tax and insurance histories.
- Applicants with records of late payments, visa gaps, or unstable work may receive informal “soft refusals,” being told to wait several more years before reapplying.
Practical advice for prospective applicants
Lawyers and community groups advise extra care with paperwork. Common recommendations include:
- Keep copies of every tax return and payment slip
- Stay fully enrolled in National Health Insurance and pension systems
- Avoid even minor legal trouble (including traffic offenses)
- Track passport stamps to document continuous residence
- Strengthen Japanese language ability (aim around JLPT N3–N2 level for interviews)
Official resources
Official guidance on naturalization in Japan is published by the Ministry of Justice. Prospective applicants can review the main rules and contact points on the ministry’s nationality information page at Japan Ministry of Justice – Nationality. From there, applicants are usually directed to their local Legal Affairs Bureau, which provides lists of required documents and case handling.
Near‑term outlook
For now, people who already meet the written naturalization requirements and have clean tax and insurance histories may still choose to apply before the new package is fully implemented. But even those applicants are likely to face harder questions as frontline officials adjust to the tougher tone from Tokyo.
The shift from a clear five consecutive years minimum toward a practical expectation of around ten years of residence marks a major change in how Japan thinks about who can join its national community—and on what terms.
Japan plans to tighten naturalization practice by raising practical residence expectations from five consecutive years toward around ten years and enforcing stricter tax and social insurance checks. A policy package due in early 2026 will direct Legal Affairs Bureaus to favor applicants with uninterrupted residence, stable employment, and spotless fiscal records. Though the law’s text may stay the same, applicants should document taxes, insurance, employment history, and language ability to improve approval chances.
