2023-06-21

Among foreigners applying for naturalization in Japan, the number of those seeking the right to vote is increasing. Interest is growing in response to news about Japanese parliamentarians and reports such as the lowering of the voting age. This issue focuses on the right to vote and stand for election in Japan, the possibility for naturalized citizens to become civil servants, and the constitutional requirements for naturalization applications.

What is a naturalization application?

It is a procedure by which foreign nationals can obtain Japanese citizenship.

When you obtain Japanese citizenship, you can use the name you had before you applied for naturalization, but you can also use the Japanese name you chose for yourself.

You can apply for naturalization yourself.

Right to vote in Japan

Article 15 of the Japanese Constitution states, “It is the inherent right of the people to elect and remove public officials."

The right to vote is the right to elect candidates to public offices in the country and local public bodies.
Members of the House of Representatives and the House of Councilors are Japanese citizens who are at least 18 years old.

Prefectural governors and members of prefectural assemblies must be Japanese citizens who are at least 18 years old and have resided in the same municipality for at least three consecutive months.

However, if you move your residence to another municipality in the same prefecture, you are eligible to vote only if you have moved only once.

The mayor of a municipality and the member of a municipal assembly must be Japanese citizens who are at least 18 years old and have lived in the same municipality continuously for at least three months.

Right to be elected

The right to be elected – the right to stand for election in national and local elections – is enjoyed by the following citizens:

• Members of the House of Representatives: Japanese citizens who are 25 years of age or older
• Members of the House of Councilors: Japanese citizens who are 30 years of age or older
• Governor of the prefecture: Japanese citizens who are 30 years of age or older
• Members of the prefectural assembly: eligible voters who are 25 years of age or older
• Mayor of a municipality: Japanese citizens who are at least 25 years of age or older
• Members of the municipal assembly: eligible voters who are 25 years of age or older

In other words, the Japanese government believes that it is unconstitutional to grant the right to vote to foreigners because, by the nature of the law, it applies only to Japanese citizens.

Naturalization and civil servants

In Japan, there are two types of officials: national officials and local officials. When a foreigner is naturalized, it is possible to become both a national official and a local official.

Constitutional requirements for naturalization applications

If you attempt to destroy the Japanese government through violence or establish such an organization, your naturalization application will be rejected. For example, terrorists and members of organized crime gangs fall into this category.

Summary

Article 15 of the Japanese Constitution states that “it is the inherent right of the people to elect and remove public officials" and that the right to vote applies only to Japanese citizens.

The Japanese government also appears to believe that the right to vote is unconstitutional if granted to foreigners, since by its nature it applies only to Japanese citizens.