Japan Cautiously Willing to Entertain Citizenship for Babies Born in Japan of Unmarried Japanese Men

Unmarried Japanese citizen and foreign national conceive and have Baby in Japan.

Is the Baby a Japanese citizen?

Until recently, the answer would be no – unless the Japanese father acknowledges the Baby before its birth – or the father marries the mother before the Baby’s twentieth birthday.

But under a new Japanese law, if the Japanese father recognizes the Baby even after its birth, the Baby may apply for Japanese citizenship until just before its twentieth birthday.

Those most impacted?

The children of Filipino women who have relocated to Japan to get work.

The Japanese remain concerned about the possibility of paternity fraud.

The children of Japanese women with foreign men have fared better, even without a special statute. They have been allowed citizenship since 1985.

Read more in this Reuters UK article: Japan opens nationality to kids born out of wedlock.

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