7 days ago
Does Japan Allow Dual Citizenship?
Short answer, no, but most people have dual citizenship
By Jessie Carbutt
Image Credit: Yobab
Japan does not officially recognize dual citizenship for adults. According to Japanese law, citizens who hold more than one nationality are required to choose one before turning 22 (or within two years of acquiring a second nationality, if after age 20). This is outlined in Japan's Nationality Act (国籍法).
However, the situation in practice can be more nuanced. Under Article 14 of Japan's Nationality Act:
➤A dual national must choose one nationality before turning 22
➤If they gain a second nationality after age 20, they must choose within 2 years
➤'Choosing' Japanese nationality involves formally renouncing the other nationality
In theory, failure to do so could result in losing Japanese nationality. But enforcement of this requirement is rare, which leads to some gray area in practice.
What Happens If You Don't Renounce One?
In practice, many Japanese citizens who are born with dual citizenship (for example, one Japanese parent and one foreign parent) quietly retain both nationalities, especially if they live abroad.
The Japanese government may send a notice asking them to choose, but:
➤Enforcement is inconsistent
➤There are no criminal penalties
➤Some individuals never receive such notice
➤Japan does not automatically revoke citizenship if you fail to act
➤That said, this is not officially permitted—it's more a case of tolerated ambiguity than legal acceptance.
Can You Reacquire Japanese Citizenship Later?
If a Japanese citizen gives up their citizenship (e.g., to naturalize in another country that doesn't allow dual nationality), they would have to reapply through naturalization if they later wanted to become Japanese again.
Japan's naturalization process is lengthy and strict. Requirements include:
➤Living in Japan for 5+ consecutive years
➤Demonstrating financial stability
➤Japanese language ability
➤Renouncing other citizenships
In other words, once given up, it's hard to get Japanese nationality back.
Children and Dual Citizenship
Children born with dual nationality are allowed to keep both citizenships until age 22. Around that time, they are expected to submit a 選択届 (sentaku todoke, Nationality Selection Form) choosing Japanese nationality.
However, choosing Japanese citizenship doesn't automatically cancel your other nationality—unless you take the additional step of formally renouncing it with the other country's government. So in many cases, individuals remain technically dual citizens, even if Japan considers them to have 'chosen.'
Why Doesn't Japan Allow Dual Citizenship?
The Japanese government's official stance is that dual citizenship could cause:
➤Loyalty conflicts
➤Diplomatic complications
➤Issues with military service or taxes in other countries
Japan prefers clear, single-national allegiances. This contrasts with countries like Canada, the U.S. and many within the EU, where dual citizenship is legally accepted.
How Japan's Policy Compares to Other Countries
Japan's position falls somewhere in the middle globally—stricter than many Western countries, but less aggressively enforced than the world's most rigid nations. Here's a comparison:
Countries that Freely Allow Dual Citizenship:
These countries have no issue with holding multiple nationalities
North America:
Canada
United States
Mexico
Europe:
France
Germany (recently liberalized in 2024)
Ireland
Italy
Portugal
Sweden
UK
Finland
Greece
Belgium
Asia:
Pakistan
Philippines (only with certain countries)
Israel
Lebanon
Bangladesh (under certain conditions)
Africa:
South Africa
Egypt
Nigeria (generally accepted)
Oceania:
Australia
New Zealand
Latin America:
Brazil
Argentina
Colombia
Peru
Chile
In these nations, dual citizenship is legal, common, and generally lifelong.
Countries with Limited or Conditional Dual Citizenship
These countries allow it only in certain cases or with restrictions:
South Korea – Allows dual citizenship in limited cases (e.g., special talents, spouses of Koreans, children born with two nationalities).
Spain – Children born with two nationalities must declare it. Those with nationalities from certain Latin American countries do not have to declare it.
South Africa – Requires official permission before acquiring another nationality
Austria – Allows dual citizenship for children born with two nationalities
Countries That Prohibit or Discourage It
These take a hard line against dual nationality:
China – Automatic loss of Chinese nationality if another nationality is acquired
India – No dual citizenship, though an OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) system exists
Singapore – Dual citizenship is not allowed; must choose by 21
Indonesia – Dual citizenship is not allowed; must choose by 18
Where Japan Stands:
Japan falls into the category of 'soft prohibition' on dual citizenship:
➤Legally, dual citizenship is not permitted.
➤Japanese citizens are required by law to choose one nationality before the age of 22 if they were born with dual citizenship.
➤In practice, however, many individuals who were born with both Japanese and foreign nationality—often due to having one Japanese and one non-Japanese parent—are able to retain both informally. Enforcement is minimal, especially for those living abroad or not drawing legal attention.
➤This informal tolerance does not apply to those who naturalize as Japanese citizens later in life. In these cases, authorities typically require proof of renunciation of the person's original nationality as part of the naturalization process.
Is Japan Likely to Change Its Policy?
There have been occasional political discussions about modernizing Japan's nationality rules, especially as more international families emerge. But no formal movement has succeeded so far. The law remains strict, even if enforcement is often inconsistent.
Public attitudes in Japan still largely favor single nationality, especially among older and more conservative voters, making change unlikely in the near future.
