RetireJapan

goran wrote: ↑Wed Feb 21, 2024 2:11 pm

zeroshiki wrote: ↑Wed Feb 21, 2024 12:55 pm

goran wrote: ↑Wed Feb 21, 2024 4:20 am


I was thinking about updating/adding to the RJ wiki for naturalization.
But I could take a shot at writing a post too. (English is not my first language though)

And I was told that MoJ takes about 12-18 months to go through the process and get to the decision. (I went there twice and met two different officers. One said at least 12 months. Another said about 12-18 months.)

I assume alot has changed after covid but 18 months seems really crazy to me. The rule of thumb used to be 1 full year after your first interview. Is this Tokyo or Nagoya? I heard Nagoya are known for the nationality department being understaffed.

Osaka.
They said they send the documents to Tokyo.
But the interview will be in Osaka. May be they just wanted to emphasize the duration by exaggerating.

Goran, did the OSAKA office test you on spot by making you hand write something? If not, do you have JLPT N1?
I would like to know what happened during your first interview.

R

regular wrote: ↑Thu Feb 22, 2024 3:53 am ..

Goran, did the OSAKA office test you on spot by making you hand write something? If not, do you have JLPT N1?
I would like to know what happened during your first interview.

R

Sorry if my earlier post was not clear.
I have not submitted my application yet. I went to verify the documents that I have prepared as of now.
As I am expecting my daughter's birth in early-March (Yayy!), the plan is to submit the application after that (including her in the application)

Regarding the Japanese test, I have N2 (I can communicate verbally and read most things without major issues).
The officer from the bureau told me that this should be OK and most probably there won't be any written test after I provide my N2 certificate and go through the interview.
Having said that, he also mentioned that even with N1 or N2 certificate, if they feel that someone cannot comprehend questions properly or answer comprehensibly during the interview, they may ask to spot test Japanese through elementary school level2 equivalent Kanji test. (completely at their discretion)

This topic is derailing OP's original theme of the thread. I will create a new thread and update my journey of naturalization as I go along, during the next year and so.

If not paying your state pension is regarded as grounds for failing to pay your taxes, what is the status of not paying your NHK- isn't a tax as well??? I think you would get revoke the PR status of most of the foreign residing population and half the Japanese, at the same time.

I wish they would revoke my permanent tax residency instead.

RetireJapan wrote: ↑Wed Feb 07, 2024 2:53 am
It seems like a solution to a nonexistent problem. There are already laws that deal with people who don't pay tax. Not paying health insurance or nenkin are not crimes in Japan. I believe everyone should pay them, but if it is enough of an issue why not make policies to encourage everyone to pay?

Anyone remember this scandal from 2004, where hundreds of politicians were found to be not paying into nenkin? https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%94%BF ... F%E9%A1%8C

I don't like the rhetoric or the headlines (it seems to imply there is a big problem with permanent residents not paying taxes -where is the data?), and I really don't like the possible precedent.

What's next, revoke PR for traffic offences?

You already lose PR if convicted of a serious offence, I don't see any need to expand that to misdemeanors.

Agreed.

What immediately sprang to mind when I first read the topic subject was: Discovering who authored the bill would speak volumes as to its intent.

If I’m translating this correctly, the NHK article states: “The Immigration Bureau is expected to submit a bill related to the current Diet.”

Putting aside for now that it seems odd that a bureau would submit a bill to the diet… the LDP currently controls the Immigration Bureau under the Ministry of Justice.

The current Director of the Immigration is Hiroshi Kikuchi- a political appointee and former chief prosecutor.

So there you go…

What I love in Japan is....Japan!
When I see how my country is now compared to when I grew up, I am sad: it not the same country anymore and not for the best.
So if this kind of law can help to keep the country as it is, why not!

As a foreigner, I am doing my best to act like the best of the Japanese: polite, tidy, quiet....and paying my tax as well (and yes, NHK included!).
Some young foreigner at work: "plastic in this bin? I don't care."
How many foreigners (not tourists!!) I can see at Tokyo station with a cigaret outside...same group of three people... What a good image.

English everywhere? No, Foreigner have to learn Japanese if they want to live in Japan. I am not extremist, conversational and basic reading is enough.

but maybe I am asking too much, people wants the Japan to force open up, to mix and lose its soul.
Saying that, I am married to a Japanese national and have a son...I am not helping Japan to stay "Japanese"!

GuiTsu wrote: ↑Wed Feb 28, 2024 11:59 am What I love in Japan is....Japan!
When I see how my country is now compared to when I grew up, I am sad: it not the same country anymore and not for the best.
So if this kind of law can help to keep the country as it is, why not!

As a foreigner, I am doing my best to act like the best of the Japanese: polite, tidy, quiet....and paying my tax as well (and yes, NHK included!).
Some young foreigner at work: "plastic in this bin? I don't care."
How many foreigners (not tourists!!) I can see at Tokyo station with a cigaret outside...same group of three people... What a good image.

English everywhere? No, Foreigner have to learn Japanese if they want to live in Japan. I am not extremist, conversational and basic reading is enough.

but maybe I am asking too much, people wants the Japan to force open up, to mix and lose its soul.
Saying that, I am married to a Japanese national and have a son...I am not helping Japan to stay "Japanese"!

When my Japanese wife read this she was quite amused. She definitely took umbrage to your ridiculous (and frankly racist) generalization that, “The best of the Japanese,” are “Polite, tidy, quiet.”

My wife, (as I’m sure most other free thinking Japanese do) takes exception to your characterization of them as mindless obedient sheep.

To the contrary, the best of Japan comes from its innovative, strong, tenacious and creatively expressive nature. Not the sterile 18th century fantasy that you imagine.

You’re complaining about foreigners smoking more than Japanese? What universe are you living in?

Also, I’m not sure what your strange beef with English is. Every country has a lingua franca .It promotes communication and commerce.

If you pine for a past when Japan had a sequestered nation and culture, and you want to help “Japan to stay "Japanese," then why are you contaminating the place living here as a foreigner?

Finally, nobody here is suggesting that you don’t pay taxes. The discussion has to do with whether the law is overly punitive toward permanent residents, and if it is even needed in the first place.

Grim article in the Mainichi, claiming 10% of permanent residents fail to pay taxes. Turns out this is based on a small sample of PR applications from the immigration department, and includes pension and health insurance. So not actual permanent residents (one would assume such applications were turned down) and not only tax. Class journalism.

What immigration is trying to prove by presenting such statistics to Parliament is another puzzle.

https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20 ... na/005000c

Beaglehound wrote: ↑Thu May 09, 2024 9:37 am Grim article in the Mainichi, claiming 10% of permanent residents fail to pay taxes. Turns out this is based on a small sample of PR applications from the immigration department, and includes pension and health insurance. So not actual permanent residents (one would assume such applications were turned down) and not only tax. Class journalism.

What immigration is trying to prove by presenting such statistics to Parliament is another puzzle.

https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20 ... na/005000c

Saw that on Twitter. Absolutely shocking headline from the usually reasonable Mainichi.

Agree that the Mainichi is usually fine. I was irked enough to fire off a polite questioning message to them on this one though. Haven't checked out the Japanese original yet to see if that's where the problem lies, but the translation team have to do better than that in any case.