In recent months, Japanese media have repeatedly reported that the government is planning to make naturalization requirements stricter. According to these reports, officials are considering a longer required period of residence and closer scrutiny of tax and social insurance payment records when examining applications for Japanese nationality.

The first key point is that, as of now, the law itself has not changed.
Article 5 of the Nationality Act still states that, for ordinary naturalization, an applicant must have had an address in Japan for at least five consecutive years. That legal wording remains in force.

What is being discussed is something different: the government is looking at raising the practical standard, through internal screening guidelines and practice, from “five years” to “in principle ten years” of residence. In other words, without amending the statute, immigration and legal affairs officials would treat ten years as the normal benchmark in their discretionary examination, bringing naturalization closer to the ten-year requirement that already exists for permanent residence.

At the same time, the government is reportedly considering stricter review of good conduct and financial compliance. That includes a closer look at unpaid taxes, unpaid social insurance premiums, traffic violations and other behavior that relates to the “good conduct” and “stable livelihood” conditions in naturalization practice. The Ministry of Justice has long emphasized that naturalization is a matter of ministerial discretion and that meeting the formal requirements does not guarantee permission. The current discussion suggests that this discretionary screening may become more demanding in the coming years.

One important background issue is the relationship between permanent residence and naturalization. Permanent residence normally requires around ten years of lawful stay, together with strict checks on income, assets, tax payment and social insurance. By contrast, nationality—a stronger legal status—has been available in principle after five years of residence.
Politicians and commentators have criticized this “reversal,” arguing that it is inconsistent to make citizenship easier to obtain than permanent residence.

For foreign residents who are thinking about naturalization, what does this all mean in practice? At this stage, it does not mean that “anyone who has lived in Japan for five years must rush to apply immediately.” It is more realistic to expect that examiners will pay even closer attention to how stable your life in Japan is, whether you have been paying taxes and social insurance correctly, and whether you have any record of serious or repeated violations.

It is also not yet clear how broadly any “ten-year” benchmark would apply.
Japan’s Nationality Act contains simplified naturalization routes for spouses of Japanese citizens, children of Japanese nationals, former Japanese nationals and people born and raised in Japan. It is still unknown to what extent these categories would be subject to the same de facto ten-year standard, and how much flexibility or exception the future guidelines will allow. For now, what we know is limited to the general policy direction reported in the press; the detailed design has not yet been finalized.

In any case, if you are considering naturalization, the sensible response is not simply to give up because “requirements are getting tougher,” but to use this period as preparation time. It is helpful to review your own situation: your residence history in Japan, employment and income, tax and pension payment records, family circumstances and Japanese language ability.
Once new standards are officially announced, having this information organized will make it easier to see realistically where you stand.

News headlines tend to fuel anxiety, but at the time of writing the legal rule is still “five years,” and the government is in the stage of considering tighter administrative practice. Treat that as a warning signal rather than a final verdict. If naturalization is important to you or your family, it is wise to consult with a professional, check the latest information from the Legal Affairs Bureau, and build a medium-term plan. That way, you will be as ready as possible, whatever final shape the new rules may take.