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I know some people with citizenship. All it requires is fluent Japanese. They came from a d̶e̶v̶e̶l̶o̶p̶e̶d̶ developing country so getting citizenship was an al

I know some people with citizenship. All it requires is fluent Japanese. They came from a d̶e̶v̶e̶l̶o̶p̶e̶d̶ developing country so getting citizenship was an almost no brainer for them. There's no real complicated test, it' just that the whole process is done in Japanese so you'll have to fill out paperwork and do interviews in Japanese. >Having a culture that just says "we're happy to have you work here for a while, but you'll never really belong here" isn't really a good sign for long-term integration. For a lot of people this isn't really a big issue. Having a small group of close friends matters way more for people. If anything, it can feel like a relief to not have to be held to such a high standard where you start to lose your identity.

Aeolun 4y ago
Well, it kinda sucked when they wouldn’t let the permanent residents into the country during the first year of COVID, so you were essentially unable to visit family (or worse, unable to return to your life, home and work after such a visit).
- zztop44 4y ago
  At least they let their citizens in, unlike Australia!
  - astrange 4y ago
    There's a popular Japanese streamer who had a whole mental breakdown character arc since she was studying abroad in Australia and couldn't go home for a year or two because they wouldn't let her back in if she did. And being in Melbourne she couldn't leave the house for some of that either.
    - timr 4y ago
      I assume you mean that Australia wouldn't let her back in. Japan never closed the borders to citizens. They did make it annoying to come back, however. Several different friends had to do long quarantines in not-great facilities.
      - Aeolun 4y ago
        Doing a return quarantaine a little while later convinced me I would not do well in prison.
      - astrange 4y ago
        Right, if she wanted to finish school she couldn't leave Australia.
- petodo 4y ago
  Who the heck downvotes this and think it's normal for person LIVING in country for years not being allowed to return to their home and family, just because they don't live there long enough to gain citizenship yet? It's extremely xenophobic/racist approach (which should not really come as surprise in Japan).
  - Aeolun 4y ago
    I’d be one thing if I hadn’t lived here long enough to get citizenship yet, but after 10 years?! Like, it’s clear whoever wrote that law didn’t deliberately exclude foreign residents, he just didn’t consider them a thing at all. Like ‘Japanese Nationals’ should comprehensively cover everyone in Japan.

Aeolun 4y ago

Well, it kinda sucked when they wouldn’t let the permanent residents into the country during the first year of COVID, so you were essentially unable to visit family (or worse, unable to return to your life, home and work after such a visit).

zztop44 4y ago
At least they let their citizens in, unlike Australia!
- astrange 4y ago
  There's a popular Japanese streamer who had a whole mental breakdown character arc since she was studying abroad in Australia and couldn't go home for a year or two because they wouldn't let her back in if she did. And being in Melbourne she couldn't leave the house for some of that either.
  - timr 4y ago
    I assume you mean that Australia wouldn't let her back in. Japan never closed the borders to citizens. They did make it annoying to come back, however. Several different friends had to do long quarantines in not-great facilities.
    - Aeolun 4y ago
      Doing a return quarantaine a little while later convinced me I would not do well in prison.
    - astrange 4y ago
      Right, if she wanted to finish school she couldn't leave Australia.
petodo 4y ago
Who the heck downvotes this and think it's normal for person LIVING in country for years not being allowed to return to their home and family, just because they don't live there long enough to gain citizenship yet? It's extremely xenophobic/racist approach (which should not really come as surprise in Japan).
- Aeolun 4y ago
  I’d be one thing if I hadn’t lived here long enough to get citizenship yet, but after 10 years?! Like, it’s clear whoever wrote that law didn’t deliberately exclude foreign residents, he just didn’t consider them a thing at all. Like ‘Japanese Nationals’ should comprehensively cover everyone in Japan.