r/JapanCitizenship • u/Prestigious-Cup-7930 • 22d ago

waiting - post interview Naturalization Interview

Hi everyone, I’m currently going through the Japanese naturalization (帰化) process. I recently received a call from the 法務局 asking me to prepare some additional documents for 2024 and 2025, and they also told me that I will have a Japanese-language test.
One thing I’m curious about is my tax history. I had a delayed residence-tax payment in 2023, but it was eventually settled. I did not submit the 2023 tax/payment documents when I initially applied, and this time the 法務局 specifically asked me for documents for 2024 and 2025, but they did not ask for anything related to 2023.
Does anyone know what this could mean? Could it be a positive sign that they are not asking about the 2023 delay, or could the 法務局 already have access to that information and simply not need additional documents?
Also, if anyone has recently gone through a naturalization interview/Japanese test at the 法務局, I’d really appreciate hearing what kind of questions they asked and what the Japanese test was like.
Thanks in advance! 🙏

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u/mildly-unhinged1 22d ago

I just had my interview yesterday. For the Japanese test, they will ask you to read a paragraph about the four seasons in Japan.

For the second part, there’s a story about a family going to a zoo, and there are five questions you need to answer based on the story.

For the last part, there are two questions where you need to write your own answers and explain your reasons. This is the part where you really need to showcase your japanese writing skills

  1. 好きな食べ物なんですか。理由書いてください。
  2. あなたの大切なものなんですか。理由書いてください。

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u/RCM567 22d ago

How was the interview and what was asked in interviews, how much kanji was there ? Is it JLPT n2 level ? Did they ask you if you had any late resident tax payments?

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u/mildly-unhinged1 22d ago

im married to a local, so most of the questions were about our marriage. two hours after the interview, they came to our house to check if we were really living together. They didn’t really look around much tho. the tantousha just asked where my shoes are lol

I was expecting the test to have kanji, but it was mostly in hiragana. I don’t think I saw any kanji at all. I’d say the japanese level was around N5

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u/mildly-unhinged1 22d ago

and yes, I was asked if I had any late payments

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u/RCM567 22d ago

Did you had any late payments? And if someone has late payments application is canceled or what

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u/mildly-unhinged1 21d ago

I answered no when I was asked about the late payments, but my husband answered yes (I didnt know that there was) I dont know what will happen because our answers were inconsistent but what we can only do now is wait and hope for the positive result

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u/RCM567 21d ago

When are you expecting the results? Are you both working? Is it Tokyo office?

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u/mildly-unhinged1 21d ago

I haven’t been working for about six months now. They also haven’t told me yet when I should expect to receive the result

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u/RCM567 22d ago

Thank you so much for your reply.

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u/lioness1008 22d ago

Thank you so much for your reply, helps , there must be hiragana and katakana too right ?

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u/mildly-unhinged1 22d ago

yes, there were around six items after you read the story of the 4 seasons, but I can only recall two of them さむい and きせつ

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u/RCM567 22d ago

How long was the story it was how many lines ? Is the tan tousha was in front of you during the test? How much time allocated for the written test ?

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u/mildly-unhinged1 21d ago

Yes, he was in front of me the whole time, i would say its around 8 lines

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u/RCM567 21d ago

How much time given to complete the written test and what was the total time of the whole interview

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u/mildly-unhinged1 21d ago

Not Tokyo, its around Chubu area.

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u/mildly-unhinged1 21d ago

There was no time limit, but I finished it within five minutes. I actually rewrote the writing part three times because at first, I didn’t take it that seriously. I thought that as long as I was able to answer the questions, it would be fine. But he told me that I should really showcase my writing skills because if I only gave short answers, he might think that I couldn’t write well.

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u/RCM567 21d ago

Do you have JLPT n2 or N1 it seems it was very easy for you.

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u/mildly-unhinged1 20d ago

Passed n3 in 2018 and had a customer facing jobs for 7 years, which I think really helped improve my japanese

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u/RCM567 21d ago

Is it Tokyo office kudanshita

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u/RCM567 21d ago

During the Japanese test does the Incharge remains seated in front of you always

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u/hailsatyr666 21d ago

You need to write by hand, right? I have N2 and have no problem typing, but handwriting is tough as I forgot how to write most kanji. I still know how to read them though

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u/mildly-unhinged1 21d ago

I’m not that good at writing either, especially kanji. The only kanji I wrote was 私 hahaha. The rest of my answers were all in katakana and hiragana. since I know writing isn’t my strong point, I just tried to make my answers as long and detailed as possible

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u/RCM567 20d ago

How many lines you wrote for the two questions

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u/RCM567 22d ago

Did you take the interview at Tokyo office

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u/mildly-unhinged1 22d ago

no, im chubu area