My particular situation seems like an edge case and I understand that the best way to get a 100% answer to my question is to consult lawyers and actually start stepping through the process. However I want to gather some preliminary information before I even consider jumping through all the hoops.
My Grandmother was born in 1938 on Rota to Okinawan parents (my understanding is that this made her a citizen of pre-war Japan) however after WWII she was returned to Okinawa putting her under the jurisdiction of the USMGR/USCAR. She wasn't registered in any koseki until after WWII to my knowledge. When my Grandmother married my Grandfather she held a Ryukyuan passport (not a Japanese passport) and left Okinawa in the 60s. I have a copy of her koseki however the copy I have was pulled in the 60s under the US Civil Administration of the Ryukyus. She never held a Japanese passport and I have no idea how her records were integrated when reversion happened. Additionally I heard rumors that her father had her removed from his koseki as a result of their estrangement (I have no idea how true this is). My Grandmother never naturalized as a US citizen as when she tried to, she was granted US birth citizenship for being born in the Marianas Islands (I'm a bit confused how this actually worked since the Marianas Islands weren't part of the US when she was born). My Dad was born in the 70s which to my understanding meant he was never granted Japanese citizenship since my Grandfather was a GI. I'm not sure how the laws changing in the 80s would've impacted him. I spoke to someone at the consulate briefly years ago and they seemed pretty intent on me establishing if I or my father is/was a citizen at any point first.
Which brings me to the question, what do you think my eligibility is? It seems like there's a broad range of possible outcomes here from, I'm entirely ineligible for even a Long Term Resident visa on the basis of my ancestry to I am/was a Japanese citizen. I am above the age of 20.
by Fewshin