A person born to a Japanese father or mother is Japanese at birth. A person born in Japan whose parents are both unknown or without nationality is also Japanese. Birth in Japan alone to identified foreign parents is not general jus soli.
Sources: Japan Nationality Act (Japanese Law Translation) ยท Japan Ministry of Justice โ Nationality Q&A
A spouse of a Japanese may naturalize after three years of residence (or one year if married three or more years), instead of five.
A child is a Japanese citizen if the father or mother is a Japanese citizen at the time of birth, or if the father died before birth while a Japanese citizen. Acknowledgment after birth by a Japanese father can support nationality acquisition by notification under Article 3 when statutory age and status conditions are met.
Sources: Japan Nationality Act (Japanese Law Translation) ยท Japan Ministry of Justice โ Nationality Q&A
A foreign national may acquire Japanese nationality by naturalization with permission of the Minister of Justice. Ordinary minimum conditions include five or more years continuous domicile in Japan, majority and capacity, good conduct, livelihood, and renunciation or loss of prior nationality, plus constitutional-compliance conditions. Meeting the statutory minima does not create an entitlement to permission.
Sources: Japan Nationality Act (Japanese Law Translation) ยท Japan Ministry of Justice โ Nationality Q&A
Residence status for foreign nationals managing or operating a business in Japan.
Status of residence โDesignated Activities (Digital Nomad)โ for nationals of listed visa-exempt countries that also have a tax convention with Japan, performing international remote work for non-Japanese employers or clients. Fixed annual income floor of at least JPY 10,000,000 at application; private medical travel insurance with at least JPY 10,000,000 treatment cover for death, injury or illness. Maximum stay six months; no extension and no residence card; after using the full six months the applicant must wait six months before reapplying for the same status.
Sources: Immigration Services Agency โ Designated Activities (Digital Nomad / Spouse or Child of Digital Nomad) ยท ISA โ countries/regions eligible for Digital Nomad status (PDF chart)
Japan's points-based residence status for highly skilled foreign professionals (้ซๅบฆๅฐ้่ท). Applicants who score at least 70 points under the ministerial ordinance point table for advanced academic research, advanced specialized/technical, or advanced business management activities receive preferential treatment: a five-year period of stay, broader activity combinations, and accelerated permanent-residence eligibility โ three years of continuous highly skilled activity at 70+ points, or one year at 80+ points, versus the ordinary ten-year residence history for permanent residence.
Sources: Immigration Services Agency โ Preferential treatment for highly skilled professionals (points system) ยท ISA โ Guidelines on Permanent Residency Permits (highly skilled foreign professional limbs) ยท ISA โ What is the Highly Skilled Personnel Points System?
Long-Term Resident status for qualifying Japanese descendants (Nikkei), mainly through the fourth generation in places such as Brazil and Peru. Permanent residence and naturalisation are available after ordinary residence. Japan adjusts descendant subcategories periodically and bans dual citizenship at naturalisation.
Sources: Japan MOJ โ statuses of residence
Designated Activities status allowing foreign entrepreneurs up to 2 years of residence to prepare a startup without yet meeting Business Manager criteria (office, capital, employees waived during preparation).
Sources: ๅคๅฝไบบ่ตทๆฅญๅฎถ๏ผๅคๅฝไบบ่ตทๆฅญๆดปๅไฟ้ฒไบๆฅญ๏ผ (Immigration Services Agency)
Where a licence connected to Japan can be exchanged, based on mapped official lists. Search every issuing country.
Licence issued in Japan
25 mapped destinationsExchanging a foreign licence in Japan
The mapped official list contains 37 issuing origins; 35 are listed without theory or practical tests.
ๅคๅฝๅ ่จฑใใใฎๅๆฟใ๏ผๅคๅ ๅๆฟ๏ผโ ้่ทฏไบค้ๆณ็ฌฌ97ๆกใฎ๏ผ็ฌฌ๏ผ้ (confirmation of knowledge and skill) with ้่ทฏไบค้ๆณๆฝ่กไปค็ฌฌ34ๆกใฎ๏ผ็ฌฌ๏ผ้ (waiver of the statutory written and practical tests); list of exempted countries/regions published by the licensing authority
Exchange normally requires residence in the destination and replaces the original licence. The official authority still decides validity, deadlines, classes, and any extra checks.
This passport benefits from: E-2 Treaty Investor ยท Panama Friendly Nations Visa