Tourists in Tokyo, Japan [EPA Yonhap News]

The Japanese government will strengthen naturalization requirements, including raising the residency period requirement for obtaining Japanese nationality from the current five years or more to 10 years or more, starting next month.

According to Yomiuri Shimbun and Nikkei, among others, on the 27th, the Japanese Ministry of Justice announced on the same day that it would apply stricter standards to the screening of foreign naturalization applications from the 1st of next month.

The residency requirement for naturalization screening will be changed from the current 'five years or more' to '10 years or more,' and tax payment status will also be subject to stricter verification.

According to the Japanese Nationality Law, one must reside in Japan for five years or more to be naturalized.

Therefore, the Ministry of Justice plans to change the screening operation method from a 'five years or more' residency requirement to a '10 years or more residency' requirement without amending the Nationality Law. The decision on whether to approve a naturalization application is at the discretion of the Minister of Justice.

The Japanese Innovation Party, a conservative coalition ruling party, had previously called for institutional improvements, stating that the existing residency requirement of 'five years or more' for naturalization is shorter than the '10 years or more' residency period required for 'permanent residency,' which allows one to reside in Japan indefinitely without obtaining nationality.

Regarding tax payment status, the verification will be changed from the current one-year tax payment status of resident tax to five years. For social insurance premiums, the verification period will also be extended from one year to two years.

In addition, the requirements for naturalization under the Nationality Law include 'good conduct,' 'ability to maintain a livelihood,' and 'compliance with the Constitution.' Other requirements include proficiency in Japanese that does not hinder daily life, but this is not stipulated by law.

The strengthening of naturalization requirements is one of several regulations targeting foreigners by the Sanae Takaichi administration.

The 'Comprehensive Measures for Foreigners' prepared by the Japanese government in January included not only strengthened naturalization requirements but also enhanced Japanese language education, the introduction of a pre-entry permission screening system, strengthened measures for non-payment of various social insurance premiums, denial of extended stay for foreigners with unpaid medical bills, and an expansion of individuals subject to deportation.