Naturalization
QUESTION
I’m Larissa Noemi Hisatugo, 20 years old. I’m a half Japanese and half Filipino. My father is Fernando Hideki Hisatugo, he has pure Japanese blood, but he is a Brazilian citizen. He is currently working and living in Japan for a decade and more. My mother is Luisa C. Hisatugo, she is a pure Filipino with a Philippine citizenship. In 1988, she went to Japan for the first time to work, stayed there for almost 12 years and went back in 2000. They were civilly married here in the Philippines, but they were now illegally separated. I am a dual citizen with a Brazilian citizenship and Filipino citizenship – the surname on my registered birth certificate in Brazil is Hisatugo (surname of my father) and my surname on my registered birth certificate here in the Philippines is Catiis from the surname of my mother. It was registered as Catiis because I was born before the marriage and according to Philippine law, as a Filipino, we have some laws to be legally followed. Now I was able to use Hisatugo (surname of my father) for all of my documents here in the Philippines because of Republic Act. 9255 (affidavit to use the surname of the father).
I was born at Toyokawa, Aichi-ken. After my mother gave birth to me, we stayed for almost two years in Japan and now we are currently living here in the Philippines. I only had the chance to stay in Japan for almost two years after my birth, so we didn’t had the chance to go back to Japan because of some personal issues. I just want to know if it is possible for me to go to Japan without the authorization of my father. Would I be able to have the Japanese citizen or have a chance to get a Japanese visa here in my country where i am currently living? I always wanted to experience the culture and be like other Japanese and also spend time with my father.
ANSWER
I fully understood your history and present situation from your birth to present. I also understood your desire. Now, I hope you understand that there are “30 types” of status of residence to which are possible to enter and reside in Japan in accordance with the present Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Law. Those who will enter and reside in Japan have to correspond to either of these Immigration statuses. Then, when checking it in the light of such status of residence based on your explanation, you may be able to enter and reside in Japan one of the following three types of it.
1) Temporary Visitor
2) Student
3) Technical Intern Training
That is, you must come under one of these Immigration statuses, such as “Temporary Visitor,” “Student” or “Technical Intern Training.” Surely, these statuses also are defined by each criterion (qualification, condition and requirement). So, you are required to report and submit the data concerning of your application, such as “name of school” for student and “name of company” for Technical Intern Training except for a “Temporary Visitor.” So, please inquire again after you would have determined the “school name in Japan” for student and the “company’s name of your training place in Japan” for Technical Intern Training.” In addition to this, becoming Japanese means that you would be granted the “application for naturalization” by the Minister of Justice. It is more difficult in your present condition since you would fulfill several requirements and conditions after you would have been residing in Japan five years or more.
Office name: Miyoshi International Legal Counsel Office
Telephone/Fax (Japanese/English): 0463-61-6305 (Office) or 090-1436-4107(Mobile phone)
E-mail: miyoshi@ipcworld.co.jp or joshua-galasha@mvg.biglobe.ne.jp (Japanese/English) OR p-digest@ipcworld.co.jp(English/Tagalog)
Website: www.phildigest.jp
Address: Kanagawa-ken, Naka-gun, Oiso-cho, Higashikoiso 716-2
Nearest station: Oiso station by Tokado Line
Working hour/day: 09:00-18:00/Monday-Friday (Saturday by appointment)