[Ronin4hire]

Generally speaking, Japanese (add Chinese and Koreans) don't see citizenship in the same way as Westerners. They see it as a privelage reserved for those that are of the appropriate geneology.... not a right to those that reside in and/or contribute to the wellbeing of the nation.

It is no surprise that they have these heavy restrictions.

What is a surprise is the amount of people on this site that are so determined to get this citizenship. Surely they realise that they will never be "Japanese" in the same way that people travel to say Canada or New Zealand and become Canadians or New Zealanders.