Japan Updates Registry to Include Taiwan Origin

Japan will revise its family registry rules to allow individuals from Taiwan to list Taiwan, rather than China, as their place of origin, effective from May. This change addresses discrepancies between residency documents and family registers and shows respect for regional identities. The revision, which includes both countries and regions in the nationality field, follows requests from Taiwanese spouses and naturalized citizens. While Japan officially recognizes the 'one-China' policy, this move signifies a subtle shift towards acknowledging Taiwan's regional identity. The decision has drawn criticism from China, with calls for Japan to adhere to the 'one-China' principle. This change aligns the family registry with existing residency cards, which have permitted regional identities since 2012.