2022-07-032025-08-28

Whether a child born between two parents can acquire Japanese citizenship is specified in the Nationality Law (Article 2 of the Nationality Law), and there are the following three cases.

• If the father or mother holds Japanese citizenship at the time of birth.
• If the father who died before birth held Japanese citizenship at the time of his death.
• When the parents of a child born in Japan are unknown or have no citizenship.

This article explains the cases in which a child can acquire Japanese citizenship.

If one parent is a Japanese citizen, the child may also acquire Japanese citizenship

If one parent is a Japanese citizen, a natural child born between the parents may acquire Japanese citizenship.

This principle is rooted in jus sanguinis (the law of blood), which Japan adopts, meaning nationality is based on parentage rather than the place of birth.

Only one parent needs to be a Japanese citizen. Therefore, it is not a problem if either the father or the mother has only foreign citizenship.

For example, if a child is born to a father who has only foreign citizenship and not Japanese citizenship and a mother who has Japanese citizenship, the child can acquire Japanese citizenship.

If a child is born to a foreign father and a Japanese mother, the child can acquire Japanese citizenship.

The child does not have to be born in Japan

If one parent has Japanese citizenship, the child can acquire Japanese citizenship regardless of the place of birth.

This is why many children of international marriages, even if born abroad, automatically receive Japanese nationality as long as one parent is Japanese at the time of birth.

A child born in Hokkaidō or in the United Kingdom to a Japanese parent can still acquire Japanese citizenship.

The place where the child was born may be inside or outside Japan.

For example, if one parent is a Japanese citizen, the child can acquire Japanese citizenship regardless of whether they were born in Hokkaido or the United Kingdom.

If the father died before the birth and was a Japanese citizen

If the father died before the child was born and if the father was a Japanese citizen at the time of his death, the child may acquire Japanese citizenship.

If the father died on June 8, 2022, while holding Japanese citizenship, a child born on July 8, 2022 would acquire Japanese citizenship.

For example, if the father died on June 8, 2022 and was a Japanese citizen at the time of his death, the child born on July 8, 2022 can acquire Japanese citizenship.

Special cases for children born in Japan

Children born in Japan may acquire Japanese citizenship if any of the following apply to them.

• If both the father and mother of the child are unknown
• If the child is stateless

In the above two cases, both the child’s father and mother may not have Japanese citizenship, but in view of the child’s welfare, they may acquire Japanese citizenship.