In a landmark decision, the Fukuoka District Court has upheld the integrity of Japan’s nationality law by dismissing a lawsuit that contested the law’s provision on losing Japanese citizenship upon acquiring foreign nationality. The lawsuit was filed by Yuri Kondo, a Fukuoka-based professional with an American legal qualification, who sought affirmation of her Japanese nationality following its revocation.
Kondo, an Arizona-licensed lawyer residing in Fukuoka Prefecture, was originally born in Japan. Nineteen years ago, she obtained American citizenship, thereby acquiring dual nationality. She has been commuting between Japan and the United States, utilizing passports of both nations. However, her status came into question six years ago during a passport renewal at a Japanese passport center, where she was informed of her forfeited Japanese citizenship and consequently denied a new passport.
Central to the lawsuit was Japan’s Nationality Law, which dictates the forfeiture of Japanese citizenship when an individual voluntarily acquires citizenship of another country. Kondo challenged this rule, alleging it to be unconstitutional, and demanded both the reinstatement of her Japanese citizenship and the reversal of the passport issuance denial.
Presiding Judge Fumitaka Hayashi, delivering the verdict today, acknowledged the complex nature of national identity, emphasizing that, “Respecting an individual’s will is crucial, especially in the context of national identity, which is a fundamental element of one’s persona and should be considered in accordance with the Constitutional spirit.”
Nevertheless, Judge Hayashi further elucidated, “Japan’s Nationality Law safeguards the right to change one’s nationality while concurrently aiming to avert dual citizenship. It obliges individuals who opt for foreign citizenship to make a deliberate choice between their Japanese and foreign nationality. Despite the global shift towards more acceptance of dual citizenship, the stipulations of Japan’s Nationality Law remain valid and within the bounds of governmental discretion.” As a result, the plaintiff’s case was dismissed.
This ruling not only reaffirms the current legal stance on nationality in Japan but also highlights the ongoing global conversation about the nature of citizenship and identity in an increasingly interconnected world. Source: NHK
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