Japan plans to tighten requirements for foreigners to obtain citizenship, The Independent reports.

According to the proposed initiative, the minimum length of stay in the country will be increased from 5 to 10 years, and a mandatory requirement for language proficiency will be introduced. The revision of immigration rules began after the Nippon Ishin party criticized the existing standards, calling them too soft.

After this, Prime Minister Sanae Takayiti officially ordered to begin reviewing the rules. According to the proposals presented at the Liberal Democratic Party’s December 4th session, the following criteria will be considered when granting citizenship:

  • 10 years of permanent residence (instead of the previous 5 years);
  • impeccable behavior;
  • 18 years of age;
  • having a stable source of income (personal or spouse, as well as confirmed professional skills). When making a final decision, state bodies will be given broad powers. The reforms are expected to take effect next year.

The Nippon Ishin party also proposes to introduce restrictions on the number of foreigners and create a mechanism for depriving citizenship of persons who have passed naturalization. The Sanseito party stated that it would not nominate naturalized citizens as candidates for legislative bodies, and also accused the government of “preferring foreigners to ethnic Japanese”.

At the same time, the government says that exceptions will be made for certain categories. For example, athletes who have represented Japan in competitions for several years will be able to obtain citizenship without waiting for the full 10-year period of residence. The introduction of mandatory Japanese language exams for the Residence permit is also being considered.

This plan, called “Socially Inclusive Program”, aims to reduce misunderstandings between the local population and foreigners, as well as to curb the growing xenophobia. The program also provides support measures for preparing children who do not speak Japanese well for school.