Overseas Japanese, go Japan permanently, how?

Hello,

I am pure Japanese but born and raised in Canada.
Originally Kansai person.
I am 15 years old.
I am a native Japanese speaker, fluent N1 level.

I cannot go to Japan for high school since I started here already, but for 大学 I want to start there.
I want to go Japan starting at University then live there permanently and renounce my Canadian passport for Japanese passport.

My employement future is something like musician (bass guitarist, pianist)
But if I get a student or work visa I wont be able to apply for permanent residence/renounce Canadian passport for Japanese nationality.

I feel my teenage years are wasted here in Canada because I dont fit in and have friends, also their culture is different. I cannot seem to like it here how much I try.

I travel to Japan with family when I was 2-4 years old twice for family visit but only travel/no visa or passport.
My parents are pure Japanese too but my father Japanese passport lost and now both mom and dad have Canadian Passport not Japanese passport or nationality after living here for long.

Before I become 20, I want to go to Japan and start the proccess, but with visas it will only be a waste of time when I can apply for permanent residence/renounce Canadian passport for Japanese instantly.

How can I apply for Japanese university, I am not familiar. Do I apply for many university and see which one accept me ? I have good grades of Excellent range A - A+ except for English and French course I am very bad in.

How do I go to Japan for University, then apply for permanent residency and change my nationality to Japanese, I am Japanese anyway and living there is better for me for many reason I cannot write..

If I stay here, i have to become lawyer or businessperson which I strongly despise idea of being a lawyer, and my life will be full of a job the whole days I despise, wasting 5 years of teenage youth years for studying law i dislike very much, and without friends because i cannot make friends here unlike in Japan. It is also hard to live here as here they lack many cultural elements, such as Shrines we cannot go, traditions we cant do, Japanese festivals, certain foods - We have to go to Chinese groceries to buy some Japanese foods but even they dont have it all. And the food quality and price different, inflated. Anyway, you get it, so I choose Japan at the end.

But how do I start ?
How do I get permamnent residency what helps ? My Japanese is fluent native, I know most Kanji I need to know and difficult political economic scientific musical words, more fluent than my English or other languages. Since my parents dont have Japanese passport now wont they think I am a foreigner, untrustable, useless or hard to accept ? I am willing to completely denounce my Canadian passport nationality to Japanese. If I am able to apply for PR/passport at 18, I will live there forever basically and until I am 25 I will have my goal Japanese Passport/Nationality (living there 5-7 years). Even I get Japanese passport at 25 for say, I will still stay in Japan for lifetime but I will be able to travel freely after living consequetively.

I am also working hard in musical instruments to be able to get a degree of music and music career in Japan. I am working hard.

Please let me know what can help this process more to achieve my dream.

I am not a lawyer, but as far as I know:


There seem to be a few different issues here: (1) whether you “are” Japanese or not (on record), (2) going to university in Japan, and (3) (if you are not Japanese on record) about the visa or permanent residency (PR) process.

(1) is there any way to find out if you have “koseki” in Japan? Meaning, were your parents still Japanese and did they have “koseki” in Japan when you were born, and were you entered into their “koseki” as their child?

(2) for attending university, you need to complete your high school education first. There are ways to apply as “ryugakusei” or otherwise (among other Japanese high school students).

(3) Please find out about (1) first.
Even if you were not entered into your parents’ “koseki” upon birth, if one (or both) of your parents still had Japanese citizenship at the time of your birth, there might be a chance for “child (or spouse) of Japanese national” visa, though certain conditions apply.
Even if your parents no longer held Japanese citizenship at the time when you were born, you might be eligible for “long-term resident” status.
In any case, “renouncing Canadian citizenship” will not happen quickly unless you hold dual citizenship…


Another question that comes to mind - if you were born and raised in Canada, how would you know that you’d “make friends” and “get along” in Japan, versus in Canada? You might want to come for another visit before you decide to move to see if you really like Japan or not. Best wishes.

How can I apply for Japanese university, I am not familiar. Do I apply for many university and see which one accept me ?

Is this your question?

First of all, since you seem to have a Japanese passport, you can legally live here in Japan as long as you like. And if you're age 18 or older, you can live here alone. Technically speaking, you need some kind of a guarantor in Japan, but a real-estate agency will take care of that while giving you choices of apartments you can live in.

Granted you pass the entrance exam, you can live here as a university student, earn small money through part-time work, and hopefully be financially supported either by your parents or a 奨学金

(I seem to have accidentally hit the "submit" icon before I completed my post. Admin, please delete the one above. Thank you.)

How can I apply for Japanese university, I am not familiar. Do I apply for many university and see which one accept me ?

Is this your question?

First of all, since you seem to have a Japanese passport, you can legally live here in Japan as long as you like. And if you're age 18 or older, you can live here alone. Technically speaking, you need some kind of a guarantor in Japan, but a real-estate agency will take care of that while giving you choices of apartments you can live in. Hopefully, a relative could be your guarantor.

Granted you pass the entrance exam, you can live here as a university student, earn small money through part-time work, and hopefully be financially supported either by your parents or a 奨学金 which is more like a student loan.

How do you apply for a university in Japan? Let me explain that in Japanese, because it'd be easier to understand.

質問者さんは日本語の勉強を継続していらっしゃるのだと思いますが、その教材を提供しているところでも、大学受験について質問できるはずです。

いずれにせよ、まずは行きたい大学をいくつか暫定的に決めてみるといいです。わかりやすい一覧が載っている分厚い受験案内を書店で取り寄せることも可能ですが、とりあえず適当な大学の公式サイトを見てみるところから始めてもいいです。

各公式サイトには必ず受験生向けのページがあります。それを見るとわかりますが、18歳以上で、高卒相当の資格があれば、基本的には誰でも受験が可能です。

受験方法はさまざまで、各大学の各学部によっても違います。昔ながらに英・国・社のテストを要する受験もあれば、小論文と面接だけという入試もあり、いわゆる「センター試験」と併用する方法もあります。過去の入試問題も公開されています。

合格の難易度は大学や学部によってさまざまなので、よく研究してみてください。一般的には、難しいけれど夢の入試と、合格できそうな入試の両方を受ける人が多いです。いくつも入試を受ける人もいますが、受験料もかかりますので注意してください。もちろん、学費も大学や学部によって大きく違います。

繰り返します。まずは、いいなあと思う大学の公式サイトを見てみてください。そこにすべてが書いてあります。すべてはそこからです。わからないことがあったら、また質問してください。

Lastly, I know I'm going to sound like an old jerk, which I am, but, at your age, it's not at all common to feel the way you do. I myself have lived in three parts of the world as a youth, and hated every bit of my life when I was a teen, but then, I'd probably have hate it at that age wherever I were to live.

And I hate to break it to you, but you won't "fit in" anywhere, because you are a unique individual. Everyone's unique. It's just that a lot of them don't know it yet, or they pretend they don't know.

Anyway, I think it's a great idea to spend your college days in Japan. It may turn out to be comfortable or it may not, but you will definitely find something that would turn out to be positive in the long term.

Good luck. At 18, you can really start changing your life, and now is the time to prepare for it.

Sorry, I had the impression that you have dual citizenship, but maybe you don't. Regardless, that doesn't change my answer to your question.

I don't know enough - but if your 15 could you complete an exchange program to go to school in Japan for a set period of time?

Why do I say this? Well - we get a lot of people on this forum who claim that they MUST live in Japan because of "reasons".....

Your oddly the right age and at least have Japanese language skills - but it would also give you a good taste to see if your presumptions are correct.

And on noy feeling as though you belong - this is so normal at your age. For example - I used to teach at an international school in Japan and we used to get quite a few Japanese kids who did not "fit" into the Japanese way of doing things.

Whoops, another mistake I made.

Incorrect: it's not at all common to feel the way you do
Correct: it's not at all uncommon to feel the way you do

Mom speaks and reads Japanese
Dad speaks and reads Japanese
15yo speaks and reads Japanese

Am I missing something? Why ask a English forum how to do things in Japan? Any 3 of the above people have the abailitiy to google "IN JAPANESE" language and find this info.

@H

I think you're missing the part that she is Canadian. As a foreigner, she's asking other foreigners how to move to Japan and become a naturalized citizen. I think it makes sense to ask on a forum like this as part of her research.

Thank you for your answers they help me get more understanding..

Unfortunately, both parent got Canadian pasport before I was born. And they dont have 戸籍謄本 anymore. Anything other than this ? Perhaps my Japanese language skills fluency, student residence or university help ?

It may seem confusing, but I feel as I dont fit in in the Canadian world. I have been to Japan to visit parents family before twice for long and I feel I belong there and fit there. It is very unfortunate I would be a "foreigner" just because I hold Canadian passport. Because nothing about me is foreigner, ethnically Japanese, culturally, linguistically also my Japanese is native language, and more. I find life here for myself to be difficult for me. I would fit in in Japan rather here, and my future will be much better.

If I get student residency, wont i still have Canadian passport ? To get Permanent residency, as in Japanese nationality and passport; how will it be.. I heard somewhere if you get student visa one must go back to their country before the education, but I do not want to do this but permanently start living there. Will I have to contact Japanese Embassy in Canada and how, what to do ?
Sorry, I seem very clueless, but because of my age I am incompetent I do not know, this is why I am asking here with all my questions, because this is something very important for me.

Also, I did not ask in Japanese forum because of exactly what a Guest comment replying to it said. But, I will write this in a Japanese forum too to compare the answers which is better choices, etc...

Also, thank you AKさん and UCOさん for your helpful answers.
I already been to Japan and I know I am better there, my life is very happy there.
At 18, I am very excited to start my life to my dream one.

UCOさん、I read your comment and the Japanese one. It makes sense, I will start there. I also already speak Japanese, I dont really learn it now because I grew up speaking in a Japanese household so I already speak it fluently, but 海外国に住んでいるので、土曜日の漢字学校あります。N1レベルです。個人的には、カナダのパスポート/国籍あるけど、外国人やおまへん、ちゃうことですね。外国人として見られたない、元も外国人やからです。外国の社会は難しい。ここで、あま日本人が持っている、食べ物買い物は紛らわしい更に日本に来たからめっちゃすきです。愛国心やけやないけど、家族、友達の全部すき。更に、(個人的に) 日本の生活質はもっとええやと思います。I am just not a fan of the 外社会, I cannot seem to like it. Anyways, I think you understand what I mean, I hope so.

I am sure it is impossible to find 戸籍謄本 or anything similar. But I see motivation and light through the 大学, because I do not want to just use the University as a chance, but I am excited and in genuine way look to it.

Lastly, this is how I plan it. If I am wrong, please feel free to correct :)
I maybe sound extremely clumsy, but please bear with me for me to learn more about my journey and future plans :)

I finish high school here, which my high school is full time online. After I finish here, I will apply for student visa to Japan and apply to universities to see which accept me ? そしたら if one except me, how then ? Sorry again for confusing. After this what do I do. I know the living apartment is all set, it is easy and we can do it easily. But the rest of the 国籍 process I am not sure what to do really. If I become aceptted, then what are the steps ? If you can write it in

1. Example
2. Example
3. Example

if you can do this. and other possibilities.

Thank you very much.

edit***

but also not just for student visa then return to Canada, それって無意味 and it will be meaningless of my journey. When I am 18, I want to start my life that I am stable in, and to have a good one. I want to make the process of doing university in Japan as permanent residency afterwards, and can I apply for PM during my student years when I am 18 or after I finish university to prove more reason.

Your answer are appreciated, I will use your answers as reference in a few years for the process, thank you.

🙂

So you are not Japanese on record. That’s now established.

Do you have grandparents in Japan, who can be your guarantor (help you with the application) when you start living in Japan? If so, you might be able to get “long-term resident” visa (so-called “nikkeijin visa”).

However, when it comes to the question of which is easier or quicker, whether getting “student” visa, then changing to work-permitting status once you graduate and find work, then changing to PR, or getting “long-term resident” first then later changing to PR (or naturalization), you’d need input from people who have seen similar circumstances - probably immigration lawyer.

Just please note that it won’t happen overnight.

A favorable school for those who have lived abroad is International Christian University, although the deviation is high.
https://www.icu.ac.jp/admissions/undergraduate/exam/
Sophia University also conducts an entrance examination for foreigners.
https://adm.sophia.ac.jp/jpn/gakubu_tokubetsu_ad/gaikokujin/
Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University has a high percentage of foreign students.
https://www.apu.ac.jp/home/
Akita International University conducts classes in English, but I have to study abroad for a year, so I may not be able to meet the conditions.
https://web.aiu.ac.jp/
Temple University's Japan Campus recently moved to the grounds of the university I graduated from (Showa Women's University).
Although it is an American university, classes are also taught in English.
https://www.tuj.ac.jp/en/ug
I think there are other colleges that are more suitable for you.
In the case of foreigners, the problem may be different, but the red book was useful for the university entrance examination.
https://akahon.net/
I've never used it, but there are sites like Study Sapuri.
https://studysapuri.jp/course/high/
外国に住んでいた人に有利な学校は、偏差値は高いが国際基督教大学です。
上智大学も外国人入学試験を行っています。
立命館アジア太平洋大学は、外国人の学生の比率が高いです。
国際教養大学は英語で授業を行うが、1年間海外留学をしないといけないので、条件に合わないかもしれない。
私の卒業した大学（昭和女子大学）の敷地内に、最近テンプル大学のジャパンキャンパスが移転しました。
アメリカの大学ですが、ここも英語で授業を行います。
他にも、あなたに適した大学はあると思います。
外国人枠の場合、問題が異なる可能性はありますが、大学受験で役に立ったのは赤本です。
使ったことはないですが、スタディサプリのようなサイトもあります。

minaさん、「日本語の勉強を継続していらっしゃるのだと思います」は語弊がありましたね。「日本語」というよりも「日本の」です。

たとえ日常会話はできても、学校で勉強するものは国によって少しずつ違います。せっかく日本語がN1レベルなら、日本の高校生が学ぶ地理や歴史や理科（科学の用語が違います）や国語（漢字だけでなく長文読解や古文）も勉強してみるといいです。これから大学受験まで頑張って勉強すれば、日本の受験生と同じように、難しい大学の難しい試験に合格できるかもしれません。特に、日本語で小論文を書けると選択肢がグッと広がりますし、大学卒業後にも便利です。

海外の人でも使える通信教育などもありますよね。今の漢字の先生がどのくらい受験の相談にのってくれるのか知りませんが、日本の通信教育のなかには、受験相談にも積極的にのってくれるものがあります。いろいろと研究してみてください。

Hello,

ずべての返信ありがとうございます💌
今よく分かります〜

「せっかく日本語がN1レベルなら、日本の高校生が学ぶ地理や歴史や理科（科学の用語が違います）や国語（漢字だけでなく長文読解や古文）も勉強してみるといいです。」

そうですね、地理や歴史や理科や色々なこと、日本に対すること分かるけど、もっとお調べていますよ〜。まあ、海外住んでいるけど私と家族の文化忘れなかったですね

いま少女時代に、18歳まで、勉強します
そしてもっと調べますよ勿論。

良く分かりました、じゃー
15 - 18 　→　勉強中、今これしかできるけど。。。
18　→ 　カナダで高校卒業する　そしたら
1. Apply for student visa - go to a Japanese 大学
2. Entrance exam* Japanese language test I may have to do ? Not a problem. 頑張りまーすよ I will stay motivated and positive, as I believe it is not impossible.
3. After I finish University/College, Apply for work visa
4. Apply for PR - Live in Japan for 5+ years until I get the PR/Passport - I am not sure how it works, as I know of the PR is the Nationality/Japanese Passport, and after getting the PR/Passport is when I can renounce the Canadian passport or before the application process for Japanese Passport/Permanent Residency ?

Also is there anything else I do during my study years in University in Japan or simply, wait until I get my job and continue the rest as I wrote.
I am aware this does not happen overnight, I know it takes time and effort but I am willing to do this to achieve the most possible quality of life for myself and what is best for me.
Please correct any mistake I said 🙂
有難いです　

With PR, you are still on your Canadian passport. Only after you go through the process of “naturalization” you can think about renouncing your Canadian passport.

What is the difference between PR and Passport ?
How do i still have Canadian Passport with PR for Japan
Is PR still a Permanent Passport I have,
or just somethng like "allowance" to permanently reside in a country.
Is it different from the "Red" Japanese passport book and the Canadian one? PR is just a card isnt it ?

PR is a 在留カード, rather than a passport.
Will I be able to get a Japanese passport after the 在留カード to secure my residency ?

other than to secure residency also to not need to renew visa everytime, visa is not as powerful or secure.

renouncing Canadian passport will leave me with only PR card for Japan or renouncing Canadian Passport will give a Japanese passport after I complete all the things I have to for a japanese passport.

to be on Japanese passport rather than Canadian one with PR*