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Naomi Osaka giving up U.S. citizenship to play for Japan at 2020 Olympics
- Thread starter WrenchNinja
- Start date
Wow, that's a huge decision. Good for her.
US immigration law does allow dual citizenship though.. so is the article inaccurate?
US immigration law does allow dual citizenship though.. so is the article inaccurate?
The US permits dual citizenship for adults both in general and for the olympics
OP
OP
Yeah seems like bad reporting, here's CNN
Japan forces their citizens to choose when they become adults, although some do their best to avoid it. I remember learning this when reading about Utada Hikaru's upbringing in New York.
It's not that dual citizens can't compete. It's that the Japanese government forces dual citizens to choose to retain their Japanese citizenship (by renouncing all others) by their 22nd birthday.
She's already a Japanese citizen.
As a dual citizen from a tennis-obsessed 75% Asian household, this is going to be a thing all week. Still if you're ever gonna give up US citizenship without being booed at tournaments, now's probably the time to do it with panache and sympathy.
The US technically asks you to renounce your prior citizenship - but it's not enforced and the UK does not acknowledge it legally anyway, so no matter what you can always return to the old country, possibly with a bit of effing around at the Home Office or Passport office. I'm curious about what happens if Scotland secedes from the Brexit shitshow - and if my UK passport would automatically become a Scottish one, or if they'd honor prior traditions.
The US technically asks you to renounce your prior citizenship - but it's not enforced and the UK does not acknowledge it legally anyway, so no matter what you can always return to the old country, possibly with a bit of effing around at the Home Office or Passport office. I'm curious about what happens if Scotland secedes from the Brexit shitshow - and if my UK passport would automatically become a Scottish one, or if they'd honor prior traditions.
Hope Japan embraces her more or else she might regret that decision.
Yep, my wife and son are both dual citizens of US and Ireland.
If I recall correctly, the US allows ppl to have multiple citizenships. In this case, it's Japan who doesn't allow it.
Japan doesn't allow dual citizenship. Technically, once you're 20 or 22, if you have dual citizenship you're supposed to choose one and stick with it. My son is going to have to deal with this in the future.
I think many countries allow for special circumstances. I know Russia had several other foreign nationals get citizenship for the olympics (There was a story where a South Korean Ice speed skater became a Russian citizen to compete)
She's going to be the next athlete targeted by Trump. Unpatriotic!
I'm glad she's out there challenging Japanese society.
I'm glad she's out there challenging Japanese society.
Germany has a similar law too (only for certain cases though -- I believe it is when you are born in Germany to 2 non-German parents). Probably somewhat common in countries that also don't let you choose to become a dual citizen
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My friend's first two US-born daughters are dual-Japanese citizens. When his son was born, they forgot to send in the paperwork on time, so now his son is stuck as a US citizen.
Some Asian cultures also seem to think that racism is comedy.
Yeah - so it looks like the article is inaccurate since the US does allow it.
Yeah, I agree.
Honestly, with all of the bad shit that's going on in this country (mass shootings, violence, racism, Trump, Republicans/GOP), etc...
But at the same time, she'll have to deal with racism over there, too.
Yeah which is why I'm not too confident she made the right decision. She's not going to be regarded as positive in Japan as she might hope.
"I've seen her play. I gotta tell you she's not very good. She's certainly not the best. I know more about tennis than probably anyone and she's not the best. Very poor backhand. And she is giving up the greatest opportunity. There's no better opportunity than to be an American citizen and she's giving it up to stay in Japan. And Japan - you know - Japan isn't doing very well right now. I like Japan. But it's not doing well. It's her decision. I would say not a very good one but it's her decision. But certainly American citizenship is the best thing you can get in the world."
She's live in the US since she was three, can't speak Japanese, but is giving up her US citizenship just so she can compete against the US at the Olympics? I mean...whatever makes you happy I guess.
Japan doesn't allow it yeah, a friend of mine explained to me that he had to sign some papers in Japan that essentially made him "give up" his italian citizenship.
However that paperwork isn't recognized by the italian goverment so he still has his italian citizenship too. He told me that a few years ago so I don't know how accurate it is today or if I am misremembering.
Oh thats interesting. Do you happen to know if you can hold dual citizenship if at least one of your parents is German themselves?
I know when I visit with my even further mixed children, that we will be okay (My Mom's side of the family is huge etc), but still. My mom used to tell me all the stories of mixed children that were orphaned, and how hard it was for them to be adopted in South Korea, so they helped many of those kids come find families in the United States.
Other American citizens have done the same thing to compete in the Olympics. I remember last time around there was an American guy who's wife is Russian so he became a citizen to ski for them.
edit: Alpine snowboarder Vic Wild
Good on her but she doesn't speak Japanese? Damn good luck. Heard racism is pretty bad in Japan as well, but maybe she can help challenge that notion.
And yeah the USA allows dual citizenship. I always found it weird that some countries made you pick one. Of course my bias is that I am a dual citizen.
And yeah the USA allows dual citizenship. I always found it weird that some countries made you pick one. Of course my bias is that I am a dual citizen.