US & Japanese Passports

i have exactly the same problem as Donald. LIke you said from now on I`m buying my tickets under my "western" name since its on both passports but on top of that I have a middle name on my european passport which i havent on my japanese one.. so confusing! but i`m just using my first and "western" last name because that`s the only thing that matches in both of my passports.. i dont know whether you have a middle name on your American passport but if u do just leave that out and say it`s "just" your middle name, so that`s why u left it out on the ticket (in case you get asked at the check in counter) and unless i would just use your first and american lastname.. in my experience most of the people at the check in counter don`t look at stuff like that or they already assume u have 2 passports so dont say anything in order to avoid trouble.. i had a bad experience before that a lady in japan at the airline check-in counter started to search for a japanese immigration stamp on my European passport and started suspiciously asking how i immigrated to Japan? and then i had no choice than to show her BOTH of my passports (but i was still under 22 so it was not a BIG DEAL) but have no idea what am i going to do in the future.. im even prepared to give up one of my passport.. and i will definitely keep the japanese one! cuz i feel like its so hard to get that citizenship ever back (Europe is more laid-back about that comaperd to Japan..)

to traveler: in ur case i would definitely just immigrate as Japanese and not fill out any of those forms for visitors to Japan!
i have been doing it like that forever.

I spoke with the Consulate-General of Japan in Los Angeles, and they told me that a person in my situation (born in the US before 1985 to Japanese parents) is allowed to have dual citizenship.

I thought that my dual status would be revoked once I turned 22, but they told me "only if you were born after 1984."

In fact, in order to renew my Japanese passport, I was told to bring my "kosei touhon" as well as my drivers license and US passport as forms of identification.

To reiterate what was said in earlier posts, this is how to have a problem-free trip (as told by the person I spoke with):
-leaving US = no passport
-entering JP = JP passport
-leaving JP = JP passport
-entering US = US passport

*Also, be aware that the State Dept is still pretty strict on the "oath of allegiance" and any attempt to hide your US citizenship status may be used as evidence of your intent to relinquish your US citizenship.(i.e. always enter the US with a US passport ONLY)

You will have to show your passport when you leave the US- how are they to know you are a US citizen who was entitled to have been in the country if you don't?

Sorry if I misspoke. I didn't mean you don't need a passport. There is no exit stamp when leaving the US.

leaving US = US passport

I spoke with the Consulate-General of Japan in Los Angeles, and they told me that a person in my situation (born in the US before 1985 to Japanese parents) is allowed to have dual citizenship.

Did they specify that it's because you were born before 1985 AND your father is Japanese?

That I'm not sure of, but I'd say no.

The following is just my thinking but I think it makes sense.

The Ministry of Justice does not distinguish citizenship based on how it was attained, be it from "paternal blood," "both parental blood" or "naturalization."

That being said, the more important part is 1985. If you received dual citizenship after 1985, you have to choose one and Japan will assume you kept your OTHER citizenship. But, if you don't make a timely choice of nationality, the law only states that you "may" be asked to choose one and you "may" lose your Japanese citizenship. (Although rarely enforced, the govt can take away your Japanese citizenship).

If you received dual citizenship before 1985 and were under 20 years old at the time, you must also choose. However, the difference is that Japan assumes that you chose to RETAIN your Japanese citizenship and renounced the other. I then assume that everything is kosher on the Japanese side of things and they can't make you renounce your other citizenship.

The real kicker is what happens to people who received dual status before 1985 and were OLDER than 19 at the time. According to the language of the statute, it looks like they're home free.

Hope that helps.

When I entered Japan from Canada at Kansai Airport, the second immigration officer past the counter where they check the baggage asked me how I was able to stay in Canada for 2 years without a visa. I was searched, and upon finding that I also have a Canadian passport, took me to a small room where two other senior immigration officals made me make a declaration of choice. I told them that I wish to retain my Canadian passport, and I had my Japanese passport confiscated. I was then taken to the foreign counter and had my fingerprint taken by a machine, and was deemed a foreigner. Kokuseki Ridatsu Todoke was given.

Do be careful folks, the new system is designed to track it down. I think it is because both of my passports had a IC chip that enables the immigration officials to know that you have two passports as you enter the country.

Do be careful folks, the new system is designed to track it down. I think it is because both of my passports had a IC chip that enables the immigration officials to know that you have two passports as you enter the country.

I doubt that's the reason. I think you just ran into some dickhead officers. I've taken my US passport to the immigration office in Tokyo and they told me it's okay for me to have dual citizenship. They told me to use my passports the way JT described above. And this was only a few months ago.

Also, did you actually sign the form to renounce your citizenship? You know that all you had to do was to say you wanted to keep your Japanese citizenship. They have no authority to take away your Canadian passport.

Ditto to what Pearl said. Maybe the previous poster was just unlucky but I've never once been asked about why I've been in America for long periods of time without a stamp in my Japanese passport. Sure they look through and ask me but I just respond with a simple, "I've got permission to stay in America long term" and that's that.

Absolutely nothing to worry about. Japan is just behind on the times when it comes to dual-nationalities.

I have a followup question regarding Traveler and Eurasian's comments on having two different names on the passports. I have the same first names on both my Japanese and US passports but differnet last names...my last name on the Japanese passport is Japanese (my mother's), which is also my middle name in the US. My mom is the one that chose to have my Japanese last name on the Japanese passport.

I've been purchasing plane tickets with my US name and have been presenting just my US passport whenever I travel...however, reading all the forums, there seem to be a lot of benefits of presenting the Japanese passport...

So, if I am to purchase a plane ticket in the US, which set of names should I use if I were to choose the US=US passport Japan exit/entry=Japanese passport? Or is it better that I just stick to using one or the other to match with the name I choose?

I have a feeling this has probably a whole separate set of legal issues...

What is on your ticket/ boarding pass must match the name on your passport (exactly), or you will not be allowed to board. Use whatever combination of passport/name means that there will be no discrepancies.

I don't see any benefits of entering with a Japanese passport UNLESS you're going to be staying there for a period of longer than three months, working, etc..

If anything, going in with a foreign passport for short-term vacations allows you to take advantage of special JR deals (JR pass, etc.)

If you're just staying for a short period, you ought to probably just use your American passport exclusively. That's what I did last time.

Double Name,

Are you in possession of U.S. Permanent Green Card matching your Japanese passport? Without that you can't enter Japan as a Japan citizen.

Why? The IC chip in your Japan passport contain info about you. When the immigration officer swipe the passport against the recording instrument your name must match the traveler's list that was sent to the Immigration from the flight crew.

Problem with entering Japan with Japan passport is, not only you must exit with Japan passport, BUT the Immigration will also ask to see your U.S. Green Card. If you are not in possession of that, you will not get pass the Immigration... I can see you going to the U.S. Embassy for helps... then, you will be allowed to leave.

And say, 'Good bye" to your Japan passport and Japan citizenship.

Secondly while in Japan, you can present Japan passport as your identification for any legal purpose. You should say 'thank you' to your mother for thinking years ahead. With the Japanese passport, you are not a foreigner in Japan. If you decide to stay longer, you can without the inconveniences ( but in your case you can't w/o the green card).

You will travel as U.S. tourist to Japan.

Actually Stanford, you're not correct. I have flown into Tokyo Narita with a Japanese passport more than a dozen times through the last few years and haven't been asked to provide any additional documentation a single time. Sure, they ask me occasionally what I was doing overseas but I'm just honest with them by telling me that I live there and I'm here to visit relatives in Japan. You never, ever will have to worry about having your Japanese citizenship revoked or anything like that.

When I got my Japanese passport, the staff at the Japanese consulate (in my case Los Angeles) helped me get a Japanese passport, even after telling them that I have an American passport. At first, I wasn't sure myself if I was doing something suspicious since I had also heard many "dual citizenship not allowed" stories but there's nothing you have to worry about and don't let Stanford's statements scare you into not using your Japanese passport.

I am amazed that an American citizen is dispensing an misleading legal advise.

If your have a Japan passport, take a good look inside that passport. Yours should say Consulate-General of Japan at Los Angeles below the date of expiry. Now look between "PASSPORT" and "JPN", it say "TYPE" meaning passport holder's legal status in United States. Yours should have the initial "P". If that designation "P" is noticed by the Japan immigration officer he will instantly recognize its meaning, since that "P" is the initial assigned by the Japan Ministry.

You may ill-advise the OP to take the risk and try it your ways,.. I am certain the OP will do what is legal.

Shall we wait for OP's response?

Listen to Dan.

The Japanese immigration will not ask to see US Green Card or anything like that. When I departed/entered Narita, the immigration officers did not ask me a single question.

Also, the alarm that goes off when the name on the JP passport does not match the flight manifest is just bogus. My ticket was in my US name (different from JP name) and the immigration officer didn't even look at my boarding pass even though I handed it to her. And, yes, I do have an IC chipped passport.

Dan,

My apology for a haphazard writing. I did not omit, " Without that you can't enter Japan as a Japan citizen." That is incorrect, nonetheless DoubleName should enter & exit with U.S. passport, to avoid a possibility of.

Just wanted to post my first-hand experience here since I found this forum very helpful. This was my situation:

I was born in the US, both of my parents are Japanese. I was born in 1986. I did not choose citizenship before my 22nd birthday. I have a valid Japanese passport (I renewed my JP passport 1 month before my 22nd birthday while I was traveling in Japan) and a valid US passport. I am fully bilingual in Japanese and English.

I have lived in the US my whole life. I recently decided to move to Japan for professional reasons and naturally wanted to live in Japan as a citizen so I could avoid limitations on my stay, be able to work, register for the national health insurance program, etc.

My Japanese passport was blank, since I never used it after renewing it. I was worried that I would be stopped at immigration since I had no stamps, and be asked a bunch of questions about my dual citizenship, etc. I followed the advice in this forum (use your US passport when leaving / entering the US, and use your JP passport when leaving / entering JP).

When registering my info for my flight from the US to Japan, I entered my US passport info (I believe this is just for the airline's purposes). When I landed in Japan, I gave the immigration officer my JP passport. She scanned it in, then simply stamped it without looking through it and let me through - that was it. At customs, the officer flipped through my passport, gave me a funny look, and asked if I had been in the US for a very long time. I said "yes, I've been in the US for a long time" (in Japanese), and he also let me through without opening up my luggage.

Once in the country, I was able to take care of the rest of my paperwork (kosekitouhon, jyuminhyou, health insurance, etc.).

This is just my experience, I can't say whether this is going to be the case for everyone. I haven't yet left the country, so I can't speak to that part yet. In doing research on this, I have heard of cases where people get stopped or had some kind of trouble, so be mindful.

Thanks for everyone that posted on this so far!

Just a question.

How did "Green Card" enter the picture in relation to Double Name or Eurasian's problem?

Now, I am NOT a licensed attorney!!

I do know, if your residence is in another country and you want to visit Japan for less than 90 days, you can enter Japan with your "other passport" and a copy of your "family register". I called the Tokyo Immigration office (081-35796-7111) in regards to an issue with my daughters' status. They WANT you to enter Japan as a JN passport holder BUT you can VISIT and keep your JN citizenship by showing your Family Register.

As for the stamps, many countries do not even stamp anymore, or in the case of the USA, it varies from person to person, some will just stamp the customs form not the passport, some stamp the passport. In addition, new trusted traveler programs exist where they don't stamp your passport at all for certain travelers. So there are many reasons why someone might not have a stamp in their passport. Customs officers are not Immigration officers, so once you pass immigration, customs officers jobs are only to enforce customs laws, not immigration laws.