2025-06-05

Naturalization is a system that allows a person to acquire Japanese citizenship. Therefore, there are strict criteria for naturalization. If your application is rejected, you can reapply, but you must correct the matter that led to the rejection. This section explains what to do if you receive a “notice of denial” of your application for naturalization.

What is an application for naturalization?

Naturalization is the process by which a foreign national with a status of residence in Japan acquires Japanese nationality. Japan does not recognize dual citizenship, so if a person is granted Japanese citizenship, he or she loses his or her foreign citizenship.

To apply for naturalization, the following documents are required. Other documents may be required depending on the applicant.

　・Application form for naturalization (applicant’s photograph is required)

　・Documents outlining the applicant’s relatives

　・Statement of reasons for naturalization

　・Resume

　・Documents outlining the applicant’s livelihood

　・Documents describing the outline of the applicant’s business

　・Copy of certificate of residence

　・Documents proving nationality

　・Documents proving kinship

　・Documents proving tax payment

　・Documents proving income

　・Documents proving the applicant’s history of residence

Procedural Flow and Notification of Denial

The procedural flow of naturalization application is as follows

First, visit the Legal Affairs Bureau or District Legal Affairs Bureau that has jurisdiction over the applicant’s place of residence to confirm the required documents. However, an appointment is required for the visit. Some Legal Affairs Bureaus are booked up to one or two months in advance, so it is best to make an appointment as early as possible.

Upon receiving the consultation, the Legal Affairs Bureau will confirm the applicant’s history of arrival in Japan, status of residence, family structure, and criminal record. If it is determined that the applicant meets the requirements for naturalization, the applicant will be told what documents are required for the application.

Next, you must gather the documents that the officer tells you. Depending on the applicant, you may have to collect dozens of documents, but it is the home country documents (documents from the applicant’s home country) that are particularly time-consuming to obtain. Some documents can be collected at the embassy in Japan, but others require a trip to the applicant’s home country.

Once you have collected the necessary documents, obtain an application form from the Legal Affairs Bureau where you wish to apply, and fill in the required information. All application forms are handwritten, so you must be very careful. For detailed instructions, please refer to the “Guide to Naturalization” published by the Legal Affairs Bureau.

Then, go to the Legal Affairs Bureau with the application form and required documents (an appointment is required). Then, go to the Legal Affairs Bureau with the application form and required documents (an appointment is required). If there are no problems, the application will be accepted. However, this means that the application and documents are received, which is not the same as permission. If there are any deficiencies or shortcomings as a result of the check, the application form or other documents will be brought back and addressed.

Two or three months after the receipt of the application and other documents, the Legal Affairs Bureau will directly ask the applicant questions about the questions stated in the documents and his/her past and present situation. If the applicant has a spouse or other family members, they will also be interviewed.

At the same time, Legal Affairs Bureau officials may call the applicant’s company or school to confirm the applicant’s enrollment. In some cases, they may actually come to the applicant’s home or other location (a date is specified in advance).

If the Legal Affairs Bureau official determines that the applicant meets the requirements for naturalization, the documents will be sent from the Legal Affairs Bureau to the Ministry of Justice, and the Minister of Justice will make the final decision on whether to grant or deny naturalization. In the case of approval, your name will be published in the Official Gazette and you will receive a phone call from a representative of the Legal Affairs Bureau. In the case of disapproval, you will receive a “Notice of Disapproval”.

What if I receive a Notice of Disapproval?

What should you do if you receive a “notice of disapproval”?

The most important question for those who have been denied a permit is why the permit was denied. Unfortunately, the “Notice of Disallowance” does not state the reason or cause. Also, even if you ask the person in charge, he/she will never tell you.

Therefore, you have no choice but to double-check the application and documents you submitted and look for the reason of disapproval by yourself. Alternatively, you can ask an administrative scrivener who specializes in naturalization applications to review your application, documents, etc., and to tell you what to do. Although a fee will be charged, the cause of disapproval may be clearer than if you check it yourself.

Once the cause of disapproval is identified, you can correct the documents, etc. and reapply. If you need more time, for example, if your working days are short or it has been less than 5 years since your last traffic violation, do not panic and wait until the time when you can expect approval before reapplying.

Conclusion

If your application for naturalization is disapproved, no one can tell you why. The only thing you can do is to carefully check the application and documents you submitted. If it is difficult for you to check by yourself, you can ask a professional administrative scrivener to do so.