Policy · Updated 17 Oct, 11:06 pm IST

Writer describes becoming a citizen of Japan and the opaque naturalization process

Why it matters for readers: It gives a real-person view of how hard and slow naturalization can be in Japan.

The author successfully became a citizen of Japan and shared a mixture of anecdote, opinion, and facts about the process.1
They say the Japanese government designed the naturalization process to be opaque, demand extensive documentation, and take at least a year.1
The author reports that outcomes are partly based on subjective judgment by officials.1
Their first visit for a consultation at the Legal Affairs Bureau was in 2012, and they say more people are applying for citizenship now.1

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