Marriage Question regarding Japanese-Koreans

[stevehelium]

Greetings all.

I'll make this short. I am dating a wonderful woman who was born in Japan but is of Korean descent. I have no issues with this, but I have asked some of my friends and have been told that their might be some citizenship/legal problems if we were ever to get married because she, like me, carries a Gaijin card.

She is third generation Korean, with no Japanese blood in her family. Her grandparents moved to Japan when they were young. Her parents and my girlfriend do not speak a word of Korean. The only similarity I can see to Korea in this family is their love of Korean food.

Any advice/info out there that might shed some light? If, down the road, we decide to get married, I want to build as good a life as possible with her, preferably in Japan.

Thank You!
Stevehelium

[Anonymous]

There are many people who marry in Japan where both of them are non-native or legal Japanese citizens. You both just have to maintain a legal basis for remaining here independently, since your marriage does not neccessarily qualify your for that status as it would if she were a Japanese citizen. In time you both may be able to qualify for permanent residency, but that could be several years down the road in your case. I would suggest that you both ensure you can remain here legally, then just build a life here that would qualify you both as a permanent residents. Other than that, I have heard of this Korean issue. There are some changes to the laws being tossed around now allowing those Korean who immigrated here during the colonial times (Japan held Korea as a colony) and during WW2 (Japan forced Koreans here to amn the factories) to get immediate citizenship. I wonder if her family has ever thought of suing for that ? Well maybe get some professional legal consulting.

[Anonymous]

If you haven't sorted this already, I think you should be ok. She would probably have PR, and you as her spouse should be sorted....