My great grandmother was Japanese but left Japan after the war and I grew up in Vietnam. Is there a way for me to claim Japanese citizenship through my maternal heritage?
Answers
You, unfortunately, are not able to gain Japanese citizenship only on the grounds of heritage. However, you will be entitled to an application for naturalization to Japanese after a 5-year legal stay as a fourth generation Japanese. You can apply for a
designated activity status under your heritage. Unfortunately, you cannot acquire Japanese citizenship on the grounds of
pedigree alone. However, after staying legally for five years as a fourth-generation Japanese, you will be given the right to apply for naturalization as a Japanese. Since your great-grandmother is Japanese, you can apply for a
designated activity status.