Politics · Japan · 10 hrs ago
Taiwanese in Japan Can Apply to Update National License Records
Japan now lets Taiwanese residents apply to list Taiwan on certain national qualification certificates instead of China.
The change took effect on October 1 and affects people from Taiwan who earned qualifications in Japan, including doctors and other professionals.
Japan revised rules for all 322 national qualifications so their forms no longer require an entry limited to nationality; 100 certificates allow Taiwan and other regional names to be entered.
The change follows earlier steps: Japan allowed Taiwan on residence cards in 2012 and in a revised family-register entry from May 2025.
Existing certificate holders must apply individually to the authority responsible for their qualification, and may need to provide a residence card showing Taiwan.
Some Taiwanese professionals had used stickers to cover China on their certificates, while officials say they do not yet know how many people hold these qualifications.
The new rules make Taiwan an allowed entry, but local offices still need to handle applications and may need guidance on the change.
Taiwanese people in Japan can apply from October 1 to change the nationality entry on certain national qualification records from China to Taiwan.
Japan says rules for all 322 national qualifications have been adjusted, though one report says Taiwan can be entered on 100 qualifications.
The change affects Taiwanese people who obtained national qualifications in Japan, including medical professionals.
Applicants can ask the authority responsible for their qualification to amend the record and may need to provide proof such as a residence card.
The measure follows earlier changes allowing Taiwan to be listed on residence cards from 2012 and in family registers from May 2025.
- Who
- Taiwanese people in Japan who hold national qualifications.
- What
- They can apply to change the nationality entry on some qualification records from China to Taiwan.
- When
- Applications can be made from October 1, 2026.
- Where
- Japan.
- Why
- Earlier forms required some applicants to enter a nationality and did not allow them to write Taiwan; Japan adjusted the rules to allow regional names or remove the nationality field.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Japan began allowing Taiwan to be listed in the nationality and region field on residence cards.
The Japan-Taiwan Diet Members’ Consultative Council received a petition and formed a working group.
Japan changed family-register rules so Taiwanese people could enter Taiwan in the nationality and region field.
Taiwanese qualification holders became able to apply to change the nationality entry on their records to Taiwan.
- National qualifications reviewed
- 322
- Qualifications allowing Taiwan or other regional names
- 100, according to 大紀元
- Qualifications with nationality-only fields in 2022
- 90
- Taiwanese residents in Japan
- About 70,000
- Estimated Taiwanese medical professionals in Japan
- Nearly 2,000
What people are saying
多年来具备专业知识与技能的台湾人，前往日本工作并带来许多贡献，然而，台湾人长期以来登录国家证照时，始终无法登记“台湾”；如今多年来的心愿终于实现，象征台湾人在日本的权益保障又向前迈进一大步。
过去台湾医疗人员只好做写着“台湾”的贴纸，贴在证照的“中国”字样上。