An article posted at a well known “conservative” website evoked an interesting comment. The article was about Japanese prime minister Sanae Takaichi’s proposals to raise the bar to Japanese citizenship for foreigners. Proposed requirements include increasing the length of residency in Japan and language proficiency.
With respect to language proficiency, the U.S. has had English language and civics test requirements for citizenship since the 1930s. If the prime minister’s proposal is approved by the legislature (the Diet), then Japan will have finally caught up with the U.S. and other European countries. Whether language tests and so on effectively screen out undesirable candidates is not known. How have they worked out in the U.S.?
