Possible citizenship

Hi everyone, not sure if someone can answer this question:

Facts
I was born in Manila in 1969 to a Japanese father and Filipino mother who were married in 1958. At the time I was born, both my parents possessed Japanese citizenship. Not sure exactly how my mom obtained it, but it had somehow been granted through marriage--she had a Japanese passport). Up until I turned 21, I myself had a Japanese passport. Owing to Philippine law, I elected Philippine citizenship when I was 21. As far as I know, my late dad never reported my change of nationality to the Japanese embassy, but I never renewed my Japanese passport, and have been in and out of Japan on several occasions with a visitor's visa using my Philippine passport. According to my brother who elected to stay on as a Japanese, our Koseki-Tohon continues to reflect my name.

Anyway, I am now married and have a child who's 9yo. Is it possible for me to obtain Japanese citizenship for her as a sansei even though she has also visited Japan on several occasions with a visa visitor's visa and her Philippine passport? If yes, how do I take first steps to go about the process?

Thank you!

Contact a legal affairs bureau in Japan. The fact that you elected to keep Philippine citizenship blurries things a bit.

Actually, never mind. Since you chose Philippine citizenship, you automatically lost your Japanese one, so you are no longer a Japanese citizen, and if your child was born after you chose Philippine citizenship (thus, when you were no longer a Japanese citizen), she certainly can't be one either. You should also report your loss of Japanese citizenship to the relevant Japanese authorities. Be aware that if you decide to hide the fact that you lost Japanese citizenship, for example to obtain a Japanese passport, that's completely illegal.

Of course, confirm from official sources, etc.

Thanks for your replies.

I actually don't have any plans of re-obtaining Japanese citizenship for myself; rather, I'd like to have this as an option for my child (if it's at all possible).

In the future, can my child actually apply for permanent resident visa as a sansei?

Thanks again!

As previously mentioned, your child cannot get Japanese citizenship because his parents were not Japanese when he was born.

Your child can apply for a Long Term Resident visa (Nikkeijin visa) and eventually permanent residency.

I am also naturalized here. Yes you can. If either of your parents have Japanese citizenship then you are eligible. Please check with concerned embassy in your country.

@guest11 Of course, everybody can naturalise, even someone with no Japanese parent. ;) If you are talking about "re-acquisition" of citizenship, it does not apply in OP's case. (It's for people who were born outside Japan and lost citizenship due to their patents' failure to report the birth to the Japanese authorities in time.)