2025-10-07

Some foreign nationals residing in Japan may be considering having their children take entrance exams for Japanese junior high schools. Can they take these exams while retaining their foreign nationality? Is naturalization necessary?

What is Naturalization?

Naturalization is when a foreign national renounces their current nationality and acquires Japanese nationality.

Some countries permit “dual nationality.” However, Japan does not recognize dual nationality. Therefore, if granted Japanese nationality, the foreign nationality must be relinquished, leaving only Japanese nationality.

Is Naturalization Required for Entrance Exams?

The most pressing concern when applying to Japanese junior high schools is the nationality requirement for eligibility. Specifically, can you take the exam while retaining your foreign nationality, or must you naturalize to become a Japanese citizen?

For example, the eligibility criteria for some national or public junior high school entrance exams include: “children expected to graduate from an elementary school as defined by the School Education Act or an equivalent school,” “children who have received an education equivalent to Japan’s six years of compulsory education,” and further, “how long the child has resided in Japan.” Regarding the “period of residence in Japan,” confirmation is necessary before submitting the application.

For private junior high schools, you must inquire directly with each school beforehand. Some schools offer admission slots specifically for returnee children or foreign residents in Japan.

In any case, eligibility requirements vary by school and the municipality where the school is located. Therefore, it is essential to confirm the requirements with every school you are considering, ideally one to two years before the exam.

Even if a school states “applicants must be Japanese nationals,” parents would likely want to avoid a situation where the child naturalizes solely to apply to that school. Therefore, we strongly recommend contacting the school before applying.

Naturalization Application for Children

Naturalization applications for minor children are generally not accepted. However, applications are possible for minors only under the following three circumstances:

First, when the child applies for naturalization simultaneously with both parents or one parent. If the child is under 15 years old, the parent applies as the legal representative. If the child is 15 years old or older but under 18, the child themselves handles preparing the necessary documents and attending interviews.

Second, when one of the child’s parents holds Japanese nationality. In this case, requirements for naturalization, such as the “residence requirement” and “livelihood requirement,” are relaxed.

Finally, the third case is when the child is an adopted Japanese child. In this case, there is a requirement to have “resided continuously in Japan for at least one year.”

Furthermore, a certain level of Japanese language ability is required when applying for naturalization. Generally, this is equivalent to the Japanese language ability of a third-grade elementary school student. In terms of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT), this is roughly equivalent to “N3.” This ‘N3’ level means “being able to understand Japanese used in everyday situations to a certain extent.”

Summary

Even children with foreign nationality can take entrance exams if they meet the requirements of the school they wish to apply to. Furthermore, while children with foreign nationality generally cannot apply for naturalization until they reach adulthood (18 years old) and are considered adults under the laws of their country of nationality, they can apply in certain cases, such as when applying for naturalization simultaneously with their parents.