Comments on: Me British, baby Japanese?

By: Nick Ramsay

Nick Ramsay — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:44:39 +0000

Duly noted, Michael, thanks. I just have to make the trip to Osaka.

By: Michael Jolliffe

Michael Jolliffe — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:17:10 +0000

It is easy to register a birth at a British diplomatic representation (embassy or consulate) and to get a birth certificate stating that the child is British. You can then apply for a British passport on behalf of the child. If the child has been officially British for most of his life, there is unlikely to be any problem when he becomes an adult.

Another point to remember is that, although you can pass on your British nationality to your child, he will not be able to do the same for any children unless they are born in the United Kingdom. Your grandchildren may not be British.

By: Nick Ramsay

Nick Ramsay — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:02:56 +0000

Thanks Jay, that’s interesting. I’ve been meaning to, but still haven’t gotten around to getting a birth certificate for him, even though he’s one-year-old now! I must pull my finger out and do that.

By: Jay

Jay — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:16:24 +0000

Your birth certificate Nationality question.

If you haven’t already done it, get the birth certificate. Your child will always be considered British, unless they specifically write a letter renouncing citizenship.

Japan will never ask your child to renounce British citizenship as that would be construed as pressure by the British government and the British Govt will not accept pressurised renounciation of British citizenship as legally binding.

So Japan has citizenship laws and asks people to abide by them, but they are very unlikely to really push your child to abide by them, as they can’t without upsetting half the governments of the world.

By: Nick Ramsay

Nick Ramsay — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 14:03:15 +0000

Hi Lisa, thanks for the comment. I hope someone reading ths can answer your question, as I have no idea whatsoever! Sorry! Anyway, Hauoli Makahiki Hou!

By: Lisa

Lisa — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 20:12:40 +0000

Aloha!
My name is Lisa and I am Japanese born and raised in Hawaii and do a lot of work with an organisation in the UK. (Reading, Berkshire to be exact) I have a 2 comments and a question. My comment is I love this conversational blog you have going Nick! My next comment is for Michael - (interestingly my son is Nicholas and my work partner in the UK is Michael) There is a University in Reading that is a Japanese university or affiliated with a Japanese university. Not sure if that will help your son’s language situation but just thought I’d add that in. And my question is - where can I find Japanese stuff in Reading or UK? I would like to send or have Michael either participate in or purchase some Japanese things for New Year. Like the good luck mochi or maybe even participate in it if they have any cultural things there???? I have been searching the net and cannot seem to find much in the UK. Also am looking for food they can buy to make and also a Daruma for business. Any clues?
Hauoli Makahiki Hou! (happy new year in hawaiian)
Lisa Akemi
Oh, and FYI, in Hawaii New Years is celebrated mostly Japanese style since many of our traditions here are from the Japanese immigrants before Hawaii became a state.

By: nick

nick — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 16:15:26 +0000

Wow, you sent my spam filter into a frenzy with that last question!

That is a catch-22. I can only hope you’ll find a university that will accept him, otherwise he might be better off studying Japanese at a UK university. A 4-year sandwich course might include a year in Japan. I know that’s the case with French and other languages. Good luck Michael, I’m off to bed!

By: Michael Jolliffe

Michael Jolliffe — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 16:09:18 +0000

Ah, but if he goes to a language school he does not qualify for my employer’s education allowance and health insurance. To continue receiving the fairly generous education allowance and to remain covered by the health insurance scheme, he must attend a university.

What’s the Japanese for kafkaesque!?

By: nick

nick — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 15:59:27 +0000

There are alternatives to universities. I just searched and found this list of Japanese language schools. Where there’s a will, there’s a way!

By: Michael Jolliffe

Michael Jolliffe — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 15:10:34 +0000

There is a further Catch-22. My son speaks Japanese at home but has only basic reading and writing skills, since all his education has been in English and French. He wants to spend a year at a Japanese university to study the language, but the universities don’t seem to be keen on accepting applications from Japanese citizens. His choice is therefore to accept Japanese nationality and be rejected from a language course because he is not a foreigner; or opt for another nationality, which then means he can study Japanese but has no right of abode in the country with which he most closely identifies.