Hi everyone, I’m hoping to get some input on my situation.
I’m half Japanese, half American. My father is a Japanese citizen and was at the time of my birth (in the U.S.). I’m now married to a British citizen, and we have a ~2-year-old daughter who is also British. We currently live in the UK, but are hoping to move to Japan within the next 3 years, ideally once I receive British citizenship.
My father’s entire family lives in Japan — mostly in Hiroshima — including two aunts, three uncles, and several cousins. I lived in Japan for about a year when I was a baby, and spent roughly 10 summers visiting my grandparents in rural Japan growing up. Culturally, Japan has always felt like my true home — I’ve often felt like a bit of a “cultural refugee” living in the West.
By the time we apply, my wife and I would likely have at least ¥40,000,000 in cash savings, which I imagine could help demonstrate financial stability.
My Japanese is rusty, but I’ve started relearning it now. That said, I’m realistic — I know I’ll need to work at it a lot more to reintegrate.
My main question is: how feasible is it to obtain permanent residency for myself and my family through the Nikkei / long-term resident route, given my direct family connection and circumstances?
Thanks in advance for any insight — I’d love to hear from anyone who’s been through something similar.
by Memes_Haram