Japan tightens rules for foreign citizenship, extends residency requirement

The Japanese government has introduced stricter regulations for granting citizenship to foreigners, raising the minimum required period of permanent residence from 5 to 10 years, AzerNEWS reports.

Justice Minister Hiroshi Hiraguchi stated that the changes were adopted following prolonged discussions within the government and the ruling political bloc.

He emphasized that the new rules aim to address problems arising from the previous system, under which obtaining citizenship was sometimes easier than securing permanent residency.

The updated regulations will come into effect on April 1, and all applications will undergo thorough individual scrutiny.