Am I eligible for Japanese citizenship?

Question

I am half Japanese, my mother is Japanese and lives in Japan, my father is American and was in the Air Force stationed in Japan. I was born on a military base in Okinawa and have a certificate of birth abroad. I am currently a United States citizen and was curious about dual citizenship because of the conditions of my birth. I looked online but found nothing conclusive. Please note any references you can .. thanks!

Answer 1

No, children of Japanese mothers do not qualify, sorry. Japan is patriarchal. There have been times when mothers could pass the birthright of citizenship and that's how we got it during a special period. Have your mother look into it, if right now is a special period or if one is coming up. You can only get citizenship this way if you are still a minor though. Once you become of age in Japan (20), then you have to pick sides as Japan does not allow dual citizenship.