Ban on dual nationality is constitutional, Fukuoka High Court rules

The Fukuoka High Court on Thursday upheld a lower court’s ruling that Japan’s prohibition of dual nationality is constitutional, dismissing a claim made by a woman born in Japan who lost her Japanese citizenship after becoming a naturalized American citizen.

Plaintiff Yuri Kondo contended that the nationality law — which states that Japanese nationals forfeit their citizenship upon acquiring foreign citizenship — violates fundamental human rights related to the pursuit of happiness, self-determination and identity, as protected by the Constitution.

In a news conference in Fukuoka on Thursday, Kondo expressed her disappointment with the ruling, saying that it was “cold” compared with the district court’s ruling in December and completely disregarded each individual’s experience and situation.