becoming a Japanese citizen these days

This hotlink comes from the newsletter of Sapporo's Arudou Debito
This may perhaps be of interest to students of Japanese language & society!
 
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http://www.turning-japanese.info/

...blog with details about taking Japanese citizenship, in English, written by other fellow naturalized Japanese
 
Late last June a naturalized Japanese friend of mine set up a website devoted solely to offering information to people interested in taking out Japanese citizenship (or of course for those who just have a curiosity about what's involved). Written by people who have actually gone through the process...  

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Topics thus far covered there:

High-fidelity MS Word and OpenDocument Japan naturalization forms
FAQ: Which is more difficult: permanent residency or naturalization
Comparison: The U.S. Citizenship Test on Video
Misinformation: justlanded.ru: Japanese citizenship
The three types of naturalization
Misinformation: eHow: How to become a Japanese Citizen
FAQ: Do you have to speak perfect Japanese to naturalize?
FAQ: How much paperwork is involved?
FAQ: Can I have an official Japanese name even if I don't naturalize?
What the Ministry of Justice website says about naturalization
Analyzing the Application Procedures
FAQ: Do you have to be a permanent resident or special permanent resident to naturalize?
Your newly acquired right to vote: Using the web to know your candidates
FAQ: Do you have to take a Japanese name if you naturalize?
FAQ: How much does it cost to naturalize?
Becoming Japanese is becoming more expensive for Americans
Japanese "Naturalization Permission Application Guidance" booklet
Renouncing Former Nationalities
My first visit to the Nationality Section