I Became a Citizen of Japan
Points and comments are a snapshot, not live.
A US-born resident describes the grueling, multi-year process of naturalizing in Japan.
Derek Wessman recounts his 14-year journey to Japanese citizenship, from a failed 2012 attempt to approval in 2026. The process requires exhaustive documentation: birth certificates for parents and siblings, complete address and academic history, tax records for himself and his wife, corporate financials for his companies, and a driving record. Each document must be translated into Japanese. The application pauses during any international travel. His case worker criticized his company's COVID-era performance despite Wessman keeping employees on full salary. Approval was published in the Official Gazette four days before the case worker notified him.
What commenters are saying
Commenters react with a mix of astonishment and understanding. Many find the documentation list more extensive than for US security clearance or UK residency. Some debate the wisdom of waiting years to naturalize without first applying for permanent residency. A correction emerges: Japan does not require renunciation of prior citizenship before naturalization, only afterward, avoiding statelessness. Several commenters note that keeping a list of all past addresses is now standard practice for many immigration systems, not just Japan's.