Re: dual citizenship

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On 12/06/06, Fanua SP. (SCUPS-Student) wrote:
> I don't think you have any problem but you can contact the
> Japanese embassy near you. However, unless they have change
> the law that gives you a time frame to keep one and give up
> one normally when you 18 years old.
>
> Thanks
> On 5/13/06, chibi wrote:
>> Hello everyone. As the title states, I am an American
> born
>> Japanese with US citizenship. I am also a Japanese
> citizen
>> because both my parents were born in Japan. I have both
>> Japanese and US passports. My Japanese passport is
> expired
>> and I want to renew it at the embassy. I have heard
>> Japan's current political mood opposes dual citizenship.
>> Should I encounter any problems? What steps can I take to
>> avoid any problems?
>>
>> Thank you

If you are born in Japan, an are an Issei, the loophole is to
get your Japanese passport by flying to Japan. If you are a
naturalized Canadian or any other citizen, show your Permanant
Residency to Japanese, if they ask, but deny you are a citizen
of a second country. So for an Issei, unless you are a US
citizen, enter and leave Japan using a Japanese passport and
re-enter your country with a citizenship card (ie, if Canadian)
with your Japanese passport, as Canada permits dual nationality.
Also immigration officials wont find anything weird as you are
born on the soil, and will not ask too many questions unless you
are not fluent in Japanese. In this case, I suggest you get
your level to at least middle school level (BA in Japanese level
for Western universities).

If you are a nissei, or second generation, this is a more
difficult game to play. You do not have your koseki in Japan,
and thus have no choice but to confront your Embassy. When
passing through immigration, seeing that you are born overseas,
they will ask you often "are you a citizen of the country you
are born?" You have no permanent residency papers that a
naturalized citizen of a second country has, to hide. You have
to just say you are chosen Japanese and have no other
citizenship. (You have to not take your Canadian passport with
you so they don't see that you have one. You have to put your
citizenship card inside your underwear so that they don't find
it, if they strip search you.