This photo taken Nov. 4, 2025, shows Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, center, talking about the government’s policy on foreigners with relevant Cabinet members at the first meeting about the topic held at the prime minister’s office. (Mainichi/Akihiro Hirata)
TOKYO – The Japanese government is planning on increasing the residency requirement for foreigners to attain Japanese citizenship from five years to 10 years, sources close to the government and ruling party revealed Dec. 4.
The current five-year minimum for naturalization is more lenient than the period for permanent residency, which requires 10 years in principle – a problem government and ruling party officials had raised. The change is to be in…
This photo taken Nov. 4, 2025, shows Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, center, talking about the government’s policy on foreigners with relevant Cabinet members at the first meeting about the topic held at the prime minister’s office. (Mainichi/Akihiro Hirata)
TOKYO – The Japanese government is planning on increasing the residency requirement for foreigners to attain Japanese citizenship from five years to 10 years, sources close to the government and ruling party revealed Dec. 4.
The current five-year minimum for naturalization is more lenient than the period for permanent residency, which requires 10 years in principle – a problem government and ruling party officials had raised. The change is to be included in the basic policy on foreign nationals to be compiled in January 2026.
At a Liberal Democratic Party meeting on Dec. 4, the government presented their plan. Other factors besides the residency requirement included "good conduct" and the ability to maintain a stable life through personal or spousal assets or skills, with the final decision largely coming down to discretion.
The government is therefore considering leaving the five-year stipulation in the Nationality Act unchanged and is instead considering a 10-year minimum in practice.
For citizenship, a level of Japanese proficiency that allows for unhindered daily life is required, but this is not needed during the application for permanent residency. When considering all the requirements for citizenship, some observers point out that one cannot objectively describe naturalization as a lenient process. At the same time, a ruling party official stressed the need to extend the residency period requirement to align with permanent residency.
The review of naturalization requirements started during former Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s tenure. In a proposal for policies on foreigners released in September, Nippon Ishin (the Japan Innovation Party) pointed out, "An inverted situation has arisen in which the more significant legal status of citizenship has easier acquisition requirements than those for permanent residency," and called for stricter requirements for citizenship applications.
According to the Ministry of Justice, 12,248 people applied for citizenship in 2024 with 8,863 applications approved the same year.
(Japanese original by Kotaro Ono and Shuhei Endo, Political News Department)
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