What happens if I give birth abroad?

[Takex]

I'm married to a Japanese man and we live in Japan, expecting our first baby. We're in the process of choosing a hospital and all that sort of stuff and we are keeping all the options on the table for now.

My question is if anyone has had any experience of giving birth someplace else, in other words their home country? What would that mean for the baby? I've heard so many rumors starting at "the baby won't be considered Japanese" to "the baby can't get a kanji name". What is actually true? Does anyone have the actual experience?

[Wonky]

I don't know where you heard that but they sound like urban legends to me.

Are you considering going to your home country to give birth?

My knowledge in this area is limited but from what I understand, you'll need to do some sort of report of birth abroad to the local embassy and the trick is you only get 90 days to do it, which could be the source of the rumors. If you miss the 90-day window then you won't be able to get Japanese citizenship for the kid (and all that goes with it, including the kanji name.)

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

[Takex]

I don't know where you heard that but they sound like urban legends to me.

Are you considering going to your home country to give birth?

My knowledge in this area is limited but from what I understand, you'll need to do some sort of report of birth abroad to the local embassy and the trick is you only get 90 days to do it, which could be the source of the rumors. If you miss the 90-day window then you won't be able to get Japanese citizenship for the kid (and all that goes with it, including the kanji name.)

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

Yes we are considering all options. Pros and cons and while it has so far been easy for us to discuss between us how we feel and whatnot the legal stuff is harder without research.

It makes a lot of sense that there is a window to report a birth, that's the same in every country even the country you do give birth in right. Usually the hospital will help out some though depending on the country.
It just sounded so harsh that a child that to me will be a Japanese child can't have a kanji name because he was pushed out of me in a different country.

[KansaiBen]

My question is if anyone has had any experience of giving birth someplace else, in other words their home country? What would that mean for the baby? I've heard so many rumors starting at "the baby won't be considered Japanese" to "the baby can't get a kanji name". What is actually true? Does anyone have the actual experience?

I have two kids born in Japan, they are Japanese because they were born here and go on my wife's Koseki. They have two nationalities until age 22.

My kids have Japanese names with Kanji and Ive also registered them at home and on their foreign passports with their English names.

as for not being Japanese what does being a Japanese actually mean? Physical Asianic features and black hair? If you naturalise here and have blond hair and blue eyes does that make you not Japanese?

Japanese are very nationalistic and society is based on blood so many think a "half" is not really Japanese. I would ignore such people. My kids have foreign looking features but they were born here and Japanese is their mother language.

Im not sure whether you mean having the birth in your home country or in Japan If father is Japanese then by rights kids are Japanese as well by blood, and he registers the birth on his family register. All Japanese can have Kanji names.

[Takex]

I have two kids born in Japan, they are Japanese because they were born here and go on my wife's Koseki. They have two nationalities until age 22.

My kids have Japanese names with Kanji and Ive also registered them at home and on their foreign passports with their English names.

as for not being Japanese what does being a Japanese actually mean? Physical Asianic features and black hair? If you naturalise here and have blond hair and blue eyes does that make you not Japanese?

Japanese are very nationalistic and society is based on blood so many think a "half" is not really Japanese. I would ignore such people. My kids have foreign looking features but they were born here and Japanese is their mother language.

Im not sure whether you mean having the birth in your home country or in Japan If father is Japanese then by rights kids are Japanese as well by blood, and he registers the birth on his family register. All Japanese can have Kanji names.

I don't know, I just heard rumors like that. I guess some people mean the government won't think the baby is Japanese and then some people mean just what you were saying but reverse, if the baby was in fact born here it's easier to say "I am Japanese, I was born here and grew up here". These are not my opinions I am really just concerned with the legal paperwork if there was anything that would make it a huge disadvantage for me to give birth abroad then I will take that off my list completely as I plan on raising my child here in Japan where my home is and my life is.

Sounds like it doesn't matter where the baby is born then! Any kind of paper work won't be a problem that's just life that has to be done and with a bit knowledge and preparation paperwork can be quick and smooth.

[Wonky]

Yes we are considering all options. Pros and cons and while it has so far been easy for us to discuss between us how we feel and whatnot the legal stuff is harder without research.

It makes a lot of sense that there is a window to report a birth, that's the same in every country even the country you do give birth in right. Usually the hospital will help out some though depending on the country.
It just sounded so harsh that a child that to me will be a Japanese child can't have a kanji name because he was pushed out of me in a different country.

In the US a baby born abroad can get a passport up until he's 18.

[Plats]

In the US a baby born abroad can't become president.

[Bella Bowtruckle]

I think the people telling you such stuff are, as someone else said, just repeating urban legends. A British friend of mine has two sons - one was born here and one was born in her home country. Both are registered, both have Japanese and English names and also dual nationalities. Another friend is Japanese as is her husband. Her second son was born in the UK as they were there with her husband's business. Of course the second son is considered just as Japanese as the first son. He was registered at the embassy and has Japanese nationality. He would also have been eligible for a British passport having been born there and I'm surprised they didn't go for the dual nationality thing but there you go, anyway, as long as you register with the appropriate authorities it shouldn't be a problem.
I have no idea about paying for the birth though, what is covered by insurance etc...

[KansaiBen]

Sounds like it doesn't matter where the baby is born then! Any kind of paper work won't be a problem that's just life that has to be done and with a bit knowledge and preparation paperwork can be quick and smooth.

There was a case a few years ago where a parent wanted to call his son "Akuma" which is "devil" in Japanese and the city office would not accept that as a name because of the potential for bullying and teasing the kid would get. Father tried to sue to get his sons name registered.

City office can be bureaucratic but my understanding is you can call your kids what you want. Kids with foreign nationality only can not have Kanji names unless they become Japanese. All Japanese have a right to have their names in Kanji. Middle names etc are not common in Japan though and there is no space on the form for one anyway.

Some prefectures you can not use national health insurance for pregnancy (as technically you are not sick) but my wife at the time seemed to be able to use it, including doctor's visits with no problem at all. It depends on where you live.

[Wonky]

I don't know, I just heard rumors like that. I guess some people mean the government won't think the baby is Japanese and then some people mean just what you were saying but reverse, if the baby was in fact born here it's easier to say "I am Japanese, I was born here and grew up here". These are not my opinions I am really just concerned with the legal paperwork if there was anything that would make it a huge disadvantage for me to give birth abroad then I will take that off my list completely as I plan on raising my child here in Japan where my home is and my life is.

Sounds like it doesn't matter where the baby is born then! Any kind of paper work won't be a problem that's just life that has to be done and with a bit knowledge and preparation paperwork can be quick and smooth.

You are considering going back to your home country, giving birth to the baby, and then coming back here to live, right?

Why don't you check with your ward office (?) or someplace like that to find out what the proper process is. You may need a certification of birth abroad or something like that. I don't know exactly, as my kids were born here. I did have to get this certification from the US embassy in Tokyo so my kids could get US passports.

If someone is saying to you that your kids are "not Japanese" just because they will be born somewhere else, it sounds like ignorant nationalistic poopola to me. Just make sure you find out what the proper process is and follow it and you will be fine.

[KansaiBen]

If someone is saying to you that your kids are "not Japanese" just because they will be born somewhere else, it sounds like ignorant nationalistic poopola to me. Just make sure you find out what the proper process is and follow it and you will be fine.

Half the population in Japan is descended from Koreans and Chinese of over 1500 years ago so if anyone talks about being Japanese remind them of their Korean roots. Even the Emperor has said the Imperial family has Korean roots but Japanese don't like to be reminded of their bloodline.

[wzwzwz]

I did all of this research six months ago, when my J-husband and I were considering the same thing.

Japanese citizenship is based on blood, not birthplace. If you are married to your husband and the time your baby is born, the baby will get Japanese citizenship automatically through your husband. Just register the birth at the Japanese embassy in your home country. You'll probably need your husband's koseki and/or your marriage certificate.

Kanji name, no prob. The birth certificate the hospital give you won't have kanji, of course, but you can register a kanji name at the Japanese embassy.

You will need get your baby a passport to bring him/her back to Japan, and to save yourself a LOT of hassle, bring your baby back on a Japanese passport. If you bring him/her back to Japan on his/her other nationality, your baby will get a short-stay (tourist) visa and, since you don't want him/her to overstay that visa, you'll have a big hassle sorting that out with immigration.

Talk to the Japanese embassy in your home country about how to get your baby a passport.

One big thing to keep in mind is that you can't, obviously, control a lot of things about pregnancy. You might have complications later on that mean you can't fly, or you might have a difficult birth and not be able to come back as soon as you'd like. You'll probably have to be gone from Japan for at least two months--one month before birth in order to make airline cutoffs, and a month after until your baby is OK to fly.

Hope everything goes well for you and, wherever it is, you have a smooth birth.

[wzwzwz]

Half the population in Japan is descended from Koreans and Chinese of over 1500 years ago so if anyone talks about being Japanese remind them of their Korean roots. Even the Emperor has said the Imperial family has Korean roots but Japanese don't like to be reminded of their bloodline.

Yes, I'm sure that's very helpful to the OP.

[Wonky]

Half the population in Japan is descended from Koreans and Chinese of over 1500 years ago so if anyone talks about being Japanese remind them of their Korean roots. Even the Emperor has said the Imperial family has Korean roots but Japanese don't like to be reminded of their bloodline.

I think we are talking about two different things in this thread.

I am talking about the legal side, as in getting a Japanese passport/citizenship.

Others seem to be talking about some nebulous concept of being "accepted as Japanese" because of someone's birthplace...reminds me of that episode of King of the Hill where Hank found out he was born in New York City.

[Wonky]

I did all of this research six months ago, when my J-husband and I were considering the same thing.

Japanese citizenship is based on blood, not birthplace. If you are married to your husband and the time your baby is born, the baby will get Japanese citizenship automatically through your husband. Just register the birth at the Japanese embassy in your home country. You'll probably need your husband's koseki and/or your marriage certificate.

Yeah, this is the thing you have 90 days to do. I was told this by a friend who lives in the US who is married to a Japanese national who had a kid born in the US.

[tetoteto]

I'm married to a Japanese man and we live in Japan, expecting our first baby. We're in the process of choosing a hospital and all that sort of stuff and we are keeping all the options on the table for now.

My question is if anyone has had any experience of giving birth someplace else, in other words their home country? What would that mean for the baby? I've heard so many rumors starting at "the baby won't be considered Japanese" to "the baby can't get a kanji name". What is actually true? Does anyone have the actual experience?

Both my parents were born and raised in Japan - however they moved overseas so my brother, sister and I were all born outside of Japan.
After each birth, my parents registered us as Japanese nationals to the Japanese government. I have dual-citizenship (two passports).

My siblings and I all have "Kanji" names.
Obviously the hospital records showing our names are in romaji, but the paperwork submitted to the Jp city-hall/government was all done in Japanese (kanji).

The important thing is registering the birth within the given timeframe (check with your local city-hall). As far as the Jp government is concerned, they will view your child as a Japanese national born abroad.

Hope that helps.

[Takex]

There was a case a few years ago where a parent wanted to call his son "Akuma" which is "devil" in Japanese and the city office would not accept that as a name because of the potential for bullying and teasing the kid would get. Father tried to sue to get his sons name registered.

City office can be bureaucratic but my understanding is you can call your kids what you want. Kids with foreign nationality only can not have Kanji names unless they become Japanese. All Japanese have a right to have their names in Kanji. Middle names etc are not common in Japan though and there is no space on the form for one anyway.

Some prefectures you can not use national health insurance for pregnancy (as technically you are not sick) but my wife at the time seemed to be able to use it, including doctor's visits with no problem at all. It depends on where you live.

Oh yeah, I heard about that case too. I am obviously not Japanese but my baby will be half and is only going to be given one name which will be Japanese and written in kanji and this is very important to me as I have picked my babies name with a kanji and it wouldn't be the same without it.

You are considering going back to your home country, giving birth to the baby, and then coming back here to live, right?

Why don't you check with your ward office (?) or someplace like that to find out what the proper process is. You may need a certification of birth abroad or something like that. I don't know exactly, as my kids were born here. I did have to get this certification from the US embassy in Tokyo so my kids could get US passports.

If someone is saying to you that your kids are "not Japanese" just because they will be born somewhere else, it sounds like ignorant nationalistic poopola to me. Just make sure you find out what the proper process is and follow it and you will be fine.

I don't care much about what others might say to me it was just the legal part I was a bit worried about. I am thinking about going back just for the birth so yes, exactly, I will be living here. I was planning on going over there this week to talk to them but it's always a good idea to check with other foreigners as well as my ward office spends most their time raising eyebrows at the weird things us foreigners do

I did all of this research six months ago, when my J-husband and I were considering the same thing.

Japanese citizenship is based on blood, not birthplace. If you are married to your husband and the time your baby is born, the baby will get Japanese citizenship automatically through your husband. Just register the birth at the Japanese embassy in your home country. You'll probably need your husband's koseki and/or your marriage certificate.

Kanji name, no prob. The birth certificate the hospital give you won't have kanji, of course, but you can register a kanji name at the Japanese embassy.

You will need get your baby a passport to bring him/her back to Japan, and to save yourself a LOT of hassle, bring your baby back on a Japanese passport. If you bring him/her back to Japan on his/her other nationality, your baby will get a short-stay (tourist) visa and, since you don't want him/her to overstay that visa, you'll have a big hassle sorting that out with immigration.

Talk to the Japanese embassy in your home country about how to get your baby a passport.

One big thing to keep in mind is that you can't, obviously, control a lot of things about pregnancy. You might have complications later on that mean you can't fly, or you might have a difficult birth and not be able to come back as soon as you'd like. You'll probably have to be gone from Japan for at least two months--one month before birth in order to make airline cutoffs, and a month after until your baby is OK to fly.

Hope everything goes well for you and, wherever it is, you have a smooth birth.

Oh wow thank you for the reply!
Would a Japanese birth certificate have kanji written on it? Registering kanji through the embassy would make it a kanji name though, right? There's no risk of seeing my baby's name written in romaji anywhere else then right? (Besides the passport of course). I wasn't going to bother with a dual citizenship until I was back home so I was planning on only getting it's Japanese passport.

Yeah I am thinking about that too. I haven't even decided if that's what I'm going to do, we're just looking at all possible options. It's kind of hard on me thinking about being away from home for that long and being away from my husband but then thinking about all the pros, especially being able to have my mother with me and it would be a smooth way to have the family meet the little one and then I can go home without having to stress about future trips (I'm not too fond of going). There are some social benefits as well ..

But I did of course call and book a Japanese hospital right here in the area so that's all good.

Thank you

It sounds a bit like you decided against?

Both my parents were born and raised in Japan - however they moved overseas so my brother, sister and I were all born outside of Japan.
After each birth, my parents registered us as Japanese nationals to the Japanese government. I have dual-citizenship (two passports).

My siblings and I all have "Kanji" names.
Obviously the hospital records showing our names are in romaji, but the paperwork submitted to the Jp city-hall/government was all done in Japanese (kanji).

The important thing is registering the birth within the given timeframe (check with your local city-hall). As far as the Jp government is concerned, they will view your child as a Japanese national born abroad.

Hope that helps.

Thank you for your input!
So it's only your birth cert. that looks different? Does your passport also say you were born abroad?

[Wonky]

Oh wow thank you for the reply!
Would a Japanese birth certificate have kanji written on it? Registering kanji through the embassy would make it a kanji name though, right? There's no risk of seeing my baby's name written in romaji anywhere else then right? (Besides the passport of course). I wasn't going to bother with a dual citizenship until I was back home so I was planning on only getting it's Japanese passport.

Yeah I am thinking about that too. I haven't even decided if that's what I'm going to do, we're just looking at all possible options. It's kind of hard on me thinking about being away from home for that long and being away from my husband but then thinking about all the pros, especially being able to have my mother with me and it would be a smooth way to have the family meet the little one and then I can go home without having to stress about future trips (I'm not too fond of going). There are some social benefits as well ..


So it's only your birth cert. that looks different? Does your passport also say you were born abroad?

Yes, the Japanese certificate will have kanji as will all official Japanese gov't documents. It doesn't matter where they are filed.

All passports have the holder's place of birth on them. This is not relevant for citizenship status.

[tetoteto]

Does your passport also say you were born abroad?

Japanese passports don't tell you which country a person is born.
They say: "Nationality: Japan" and "Registered Domicile: (the city you registered eg. Tokyo)"

[tetoteto]

All passports have the holder's place of birth on them.

This is incorrect - Japanese passports have the info shown below. Nowhere on a Japanese passport does it mention place of birth.

Photograph of passport holder
Type
Issuing country
Passport number
Surname
Given name
Nationality
Date of birth
Sex
Registered Domicile
Date of issue
Date of expiry
Issuing authority
Signature of bearer

[wzwzwz]

It sounds a bit like you decided against?

Yeah, I decided to give birth in Tokyo for a few reasons. I really wanted my husband there, and he could take max two weeks off work. Our doctors said full-term babies can be born anywhere between 37 and 41 weeks, so I didn't want to gamble. Also, didn't want to spend two months minimum overseas.

In my country, women only stay about 48 hours in the hospital after giving birth, but in Japan you stay five days. I wanted the longer hospital stay.

The biggest factor, honestly, was paperwork. I could not see myself enjoying dealing with the Japanese embassy trying to get my baby a passport. I always eff something up on passport applications and easily forsaw postpartum me missing some crucial document from Japan and bursting into tears at the embassy

You might be more organized than me. In any case, I had a great birth experience in Tokyo. PM if you are looking for hospital recs. Good luck!

[Effected After]

Oh yeah, I heard about that case too. I am obviously not Japanese but my baby will be half and is only going to be given one name which will be Japanese and written in kanji and this is very important to me as I have picked my babies name with a kanji and it wouldn't be the same without it.

Legally, your child will have two names. One will be the name registered in Japan, and the other will the name registered in your home country. Legally, they don't have to be the same, and both will be legal, when used alongside the passport that accompanies the name. Most people make the names the same is both languages, for example, they will name the boy 鈴木太郎 in Japanese, and Taro Suzuki in English, but there is no requirement that they be the same.

For example, my son has a middle name in English. His legal name with his foreign passport comes with this middle name. In Japanese, this middle name does not exist legally, anywhere. The entity that has that name does not exist as a Japanese citizen, only as a foreign citizen.

So regardless of whether you give birth overseas or in Japan, you can register the child's name in Japanese with the Kanji you want. And on that same note, you can register whatever name you want in English with your home country as well.

[Takex]

This is incorrect - Japanese passports have the info shown below. Nowhere on a Japanese passport does it mention place of birth.

Photograph of passport holder
Type
Issuing country
Passport number
Surname
Given name
Nationality
Date of birth
Sex
Registered Domicile
Date of issue
Date of expiry
Issuing authority
Signature of bearer

Ah what a great list. I realized I could just check my husband's passport, sigh at pregnancy brain, haha.

Yeah, I decided to give birth in Tokyo for a few reasons. I really wanted my husband there, and he could take max two weeks off work. Our doctors said full-term babies can be born anywhere between 37 and 41 weeks, so I didn't want to gamble. Also, didn't want to spend two months minimum overseas.

In my country, women only stay about 48 hours in the hospital after giving birth, but in Japan you stay five days. I wanted the longer hospital stay.

The biggest factor, honestly, was paperwork. I could not see myself enjoying dealing with the Japanese embassy trying to get my baby a passport. I always eff something up on passport applications and easily forsaw postpartum me missing some crucial document from Japan and bursting into tears at the embassy

You might be more organized than me. In any case, I had a great birth experience in Tokyo. PM if you are looking for hospital recs. Good luck!

We're thinking about the same things then.. I'm not so excited about the one week imprisonment at the hospital though (all I hear are horror stories about no tv, internet allowed just rest and breastfeeding) but I might feel differently when I've given birth. It does sound golden to have that chance to rest afterwards. I just really want my mom to be there with me, my husband is a bit freaked out still by the thought of having to be around for the birth so getting to have mom there, at a hospital that will be free of charge and then have the chance to spend the money from the Japanese government on junior and a future flight ticket sounds like a win to me. But it's so stressful being away from home.. ugh decisions!

Haha I know about the paper thing, I always google until my eyes drop to make sure I got it all so I'm known to have brought too much :P I'm just allergic to going anywhere twice. Thank you for the offer and the help I've already picked out and booked a local hospital around the corner pretty much. I speak the language so I didn't have to put much work into it, just somewhere close, that allows the dad to be there and decent looking was good enough for me ( I don't know what to expect anyway, haha! )

Legally, your child will have two names. One will be the name registered in Japan, and the other will the name registered in your home country. Legally, they don't have to be the same, and both will be legal, when used alongside the passport that accompanies the name. Most people make the names the same is both languages, for example, they will name the boy 鈴木太郎 in Japanese, and Taro Suzuki in English, but there is no requirement that they be the same.

For example, my son has a middle name in English. His legal name with his foreign passport comes with this middle name. In Japanese, this middle name does not exist legally, anywhere. The entity that has that name does not exist as a Japanese citizen, only as a foreign citizen.

So regardless of whether you give birth overseas or in Japan, you can register the child's name in Japanese with the Kanji you want. And on that same note, you can register whatever name you want in English with your home country as well.

Is this just because my baby will have a dual citizenship? A Japanese name is always romanized in passports so that other countries can read them. Alright well then I can relax fully about the name, my pregnancy hormones don't allow things to be anything but the way I want them to be :P

[Effected After]

Is this just because my baby will have a dual citizenship?

If your child wasn't a dual citizen, their name wouldn't be registered in more than one country... so yes.

A Japanese name is always romanized in passports so that other countries can read them.

The name is directly written from the romanized version of the hiragana spelling of the name. If you want a different romanized spelling of your child's Japanese name (for example, the Japanese romanized version is Eimi, and you want it spelled Amy), then you will have to register your child with your home country first, and then bring a certification of the romanization to the Japanese passport office when applying for the Japanese passport.

[wzwzwz]

We're thinking about the same things then..

Hah, yeah, sounds like we thought of the same things. I wasn't keen on being imprisoned either, but it worked out. I had TV, keitai, wifi, laptop, etc and nobody cared how much I used them. Nurses were great about bfeeding--basically, they let me and the baby figure it out and were available 24/7 to help. I read the horror stories online too, but every medical encounter I had while pregnant & postpartum here was fine.

Free hospital and then money from the J-government sounded good (I assume you can still get free healthcare at home?). But I couldn't get trip interruption/cancellation insurance in case the baby or I had any medical issues that meant we couldn't return when planned, which meant we needed fullfare flexible tix. That would have eaten up a big chunk of the insurance payment, and then there was the extra paperwork to claim for an overseas birth.

tl;dr: i stayed in japan because i couldn't be bothered with the paperwork

if you are from canada, though, there are citizenship concerns--if your kid is born outside canada, he/she can be canadian, but his/her kids have to be born IN canada to get citizenship.

[Effected After]

My wife had our baby in Japan, and I was quite impressed with the hospital she stayed at after the birth. They were all really nice, treated us well, and they helped my wife a lot in learning what to do with a newborn child. Because she didn't have to worry about any cooking or cleaning, it let her focus exclusively on the baby for that first five days.

I haven't heard any horror stories, but I've never asked or looked, so my lack of knowledge means nothing. But the one experience I've had was a very good one.

[Takex]

If hubby won't be there, you have to call the J-embassy to ask how you are going to register the kid's birth and get his/her J-passport without your J-hubby, what papers you need, koseki, etc. A free of charge hospital? In the UK? Well, let's hope their free service will be great. Why can't you mom come to Japan? You say you want to be with your mom. She can come here. You will be with your mom, your hubby, you don't need to travel anywhere with a tiny kid. Also, don't you think it's a little brutal that you are taking such an important moment like a childbirth away from your hubby? Seems like from your posts he is a nice man and father who wants to support you and welcome his kid to this world. But you are telling him you want to be with your mom. She can come to you, you know.

I'm not from the UK But where I'm from the stay is basically free, you pay a room fee which is about 2 500 yen.
Bringing her here doesn't feel like a good idea, while I speak Japanese without any problems my mom doesn't, it would probably be better to be in her environment then

My husband has clearly said that he doesn't want to be with me in the room, he is too scared and he thinks I should go, he is the pushy one about this but I'm refusing to make this decision now as he might change his mind when we get closer. All the paperwork and stuff like that really won't be a big deal my biggest fear was just that I would mess something up for my baby by not having it here, as in citizenship wise or name wise.

[wzwzwz]

Check with your home country re:citizenship to make sure your baby can inherit your citizenship no problem.

If you speak Japanese, have you considered hiring a Japanese doula to be with you in the hospital when you give birth, if your husband isn't up for it and your mom doesn't have the language skills?

Google ドゥーラ

[Takex]

Check with your home country re:citizenship to make sure your baby can inherit your citizenship no problem.

If you speak Japanese, have you considered hiring a Japanese doula to be with you in the hospital when you give birth, if your husband isn't up for it and your mom doesn't have the language skills?

Google ドゥーラ

Would I need one? I thought nurses and stuff were "included" :P I don't need someone to guide me through it and breathe with me, it's about sharing the experience I guess with someone close to me. It would mean a lot to both me and my mom. The birth itself doesn't scare me at all, my body will know what to do.

This is such a hard decision, but thanks to everyone for answering my questions. I've booked a hospital here in Tokyo and I will do the same back where my mom is and then time will solve it I guess. In the end it's really up to my husband, whether he changes his mind or not and how nice the pregnancy will treat me.

[wzwzwz]

Would I need one? I thought nurses and stuff were "included" :P I don't need someone to guide me through it and breathe with me, it's about sharing the experience I guess with someone close to me. It would mean a lot to both me and my mom. The birth itself doesn't scare me at all, my body will know what to do.

Oh, you sound just like me. Sorry, I thought your main concern was having someone with you during the birth.

[Ansony]

If you naturalise here and have blond hair and blue eyes does that make you not Japanese?

KB, are you drunk?

[Chromedome]

But what happens if you give birth abloke?

[Wonky]

This is incorrect - Japanese passports have the info shown below. Nowhere on a Japanese passport does it mention place of birth.

Photograph of passport holder
Type
Issuing country
Passport number
Surname
Given name
Nationality
Date of birth
Sex
Registered Domicile
Date of issue
Date of expiry
Issuing authority
Signature of bearer

Thanks for the clarification.

[Wonky]

Would I need one? I thought nurses and stuff were "included" :P I don't need someone to guide me through it and breathe with me, it's about sharing the experience I guess with someone close to me. It would mean a lot to both me and my mom. The birth itself doesn't scare me at all, my body will know what to do.

This is such a hard decision, but thanks to everyone for answering my questions. I've booked a hospital here in Tokyo and I will do the same back where my mom is and then time will solve it I guess. In the end it's really up to my husband, whether he changes his mind or not and how nice the pregnancy will treat me.

Probably the best to have the baby born here if this is where you are living. When my second son was born, my mom was not here for the birth but she came soon after and stayed for a month, mainly to help out taking care of my older son.

[jin330]

I remember reading somewhere that marrying in Japan is accepted in the states as well.
But...I never reported being married yet. Now I want to register my newborn to get the US passport.

Anyone know about this situation?
Our Japanese/American baby was born in Korea and is already back in Japan and registered as a Japanese on my wife's side.

[BackDoor_Man]

I remember reading somewhere that marrying in Japan is accepted in the states as well.
But...I never reported being married yet. Now I want to register my newborn to get the US passport.

Anyone know about this situation?
Our Japanese/American baby was born in Korea and is already back in Japan and registered as a Japanese on my wife's side.

All it should take is a trip to the American Embassy with a copy of your family register if you have one (if not then a copy of the wife's family register as you and the baby should be in there somewhere), sand your American passport. And some yen to pay costs. Check out the American Embassy website to be sure. http://japan.usembassy.gov/

[Agitator]

In the US a baby born abroad can't become president.

Not true. You just have to be a citizen by birth, which is not the same thing.

Politically,
A.

[Agitator]

I remember reading somewhere that marrying in Japan is accepted in the states as well.
But...I never reported being married yet. Now I want to register my newborn to get the US passport.

Anyone know about this situation?
Our Japanese/American baby was born in Korea and is already back in Japan and registered as a Japanese on my wife's side.

Not only is there no requirement to report your Japanese marriage to the US, there is no mechanism for doing so. Your Japanese marriage is recognized in the US by all US states provided that the marriage would have been legal in that state.

Matrimonially,
A.

[Plats]

Not true. You just have to be a citizen by birth, which is not the same thing.

Politically,
A.

Haven't you been watching the news? Google "The Donald".

[BackDoor_Man]

Haven't you been watching the news? Google "The Donald".

"The Donald" was a very special case! If you had the honors and acclaim that "The Donald" has you too could be Japanese!