[Koroshiya]

M'kay. So, my wife and I have been looking into this and I have a lot of conflicting information that I want clear up if anyone can offer some insight. We are planning to move to Japan via the Global 30/MEXT scholarship programs. She is currently looking to becoming a research student at Tokyo Metropolitan College in the field of Geographic Information System (GIS) and Urban Planning. After the research period is over, she has the option to move straight into her Masters degree (which she plans to do). As long as she gets the proper recommendations (from her employer and/or the Japanese Consulate in America) and her Thesis is solid, everything should work itself out from there.

We have looked at numerous website weighing the difference between naturalization and permanent residency. We have decided that naturalization will best coincide with our future plans. As I understand it, the prerequisites for naturalization are as follows.

1) Live there five years.
2) Be over 20 years old.
3) No criminal record.
4) Proof of financial stability/ability to support one's self.
5) Competency in the language.
6) Relinquish citizenship in country of origin.

Essentially, this criteria does not appear difficult to achieve, in the slightest. I have the means to get there and stay there (assuming plans do not fall through). However, is it really as easy as it appears? I have heard horror stories from friends about people they knew that have lived in Japan for 20 years, as missionaries, and their application is always denied. In contrast, I have read a lot of success stories online. Is it really so ambiguous?

So, I have a couple major concerns...

Aside from not meeting the above criteria, what other non-essential occurrences have the potential to cause a naturalization application to be denied? There has to be a reason why they would. I'm mostly referring to the case of the family that has been denied naturalization despite having been there so long.

Also, friends with friends/family in Japan (so this is second hand information) tell me that one must have USD $90,000 worth of assets as part of qualifying for this process. I thought this might be construed as criteria #4. But, I haven't been able to find evidence to support this claim. Based on context, it appears that you must simply have the skills necessary to acquire/already have a job that can support a family adequately. Might anyone have clarification on this, as well?