Japanese Consulate San Francisco Vice Consul Charged with Assualt and 14 Counts of Domestic Violence

The issue of nationality had never been discussed more seriously than it was in 2008. LDP Lower-House Member Taro Kono seeks to rectify the dual citizenship situation.

Japan is the only developed country that does not automatically grant citizenship to babies born within its territory, allow its nationals to have multiple citizenship or let foreigners vote in local-level elections.

Japan has 2 million registered foreigners, and one in every 30 babies born here has at least one foreign parent.

Article 14 of Japan’s Constitution requires that Japanese renounce other nationalities by the age of 22 if they wish to keep Japanese citizenship. There are 600,000 to 700,000 Japanese 22 or older with two nationalities, if not more. Fewer than 10 percent of Japanese with more than one nationality make that choice by the time they turn 22.Kono’s multiple citizenship plan:

1.  The government allows Japanese nationals to be citizens of other countries.
2. Japanese holding other nationalities must declare this to the local authorities where their Japanese residency is registered. Those who fail to do so may be fined or lose their Japanese citizenship.
3. Japanese can obtain citizenship elsewhere, except for locations Japan does not recognize, and continue to hold Japanese nationality as long as the other countries allow multiple nationalities.
4. People from countries other than North Korea or other areas lacking Japanese diplomatic recognition can obtain Japanese nationality without losing their original citizenship as long as their home countries allow multiple nationalities.
5. The Imperial family, Diet members, Cabinet ministers, diplomats, certain members of the Self-Defense Forces or court judges can only hold Japanese nationality.
6. Japanese who become presidents, lawmakers, Cabinet ministers, diplomats, soldiers, court judges or members of royalty of other countries will lose their Japanese nationality.
7. Japanese who have a Japanese parent and hold multiple nationalities will lose their Japanese citizenship if they have not lived in Japan for 365 days or more by the time they turn 22.
8. If Japan goes to war against a country, Japanese public servants cannot hold citizenship in that country.
9. Japanese holding other nationalities will lose their Japanese citizenship if they apply for and join the military of other countries.

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