requirements for naturalization for a person born in Japan, not having any nationality since the time of birth, and continuously having a domicile in Japan for three years or more since that time. Further, Article 2(iii) of the Nationality Act provides that a child can acquire Japanese nationality if born in Japan and both of the parents are unknown or are without nationality. To further limit the possibility of the occurrence of statelessness, the Nationality Act should be revised so that a child born in Japan be granted Japanese nationality where one or more of the parents possess/es foreign nationality but is/are unable to pass on their own nationality under their nationality law, which renders the child stateless if Japanese nationality is not granted. The official data should be made public, annually and in total, regarding the number and gender of stateless persons who have acquired Japanese nationality by application of the Nationality Act. The statistical data on refugee determination should include information on the number, gender and the country of former habitual residence of stateless applicants and refugees. Fifthly, it should be stressed that Japan has the obligation to observe faithfully international human rights obligations in relation to its treatment of de jure and de facto stateless persons. These include human rights instruments such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, and the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment of Punishment. All humans have the right to enjoy rights protected therein. Limitations of these rights based on nationality or migrant status must be carefully examined: it must not constitute discrimination under international human rights law. Granting/depriving nationality and immigration control, including granting of resident status, are no longer mere domestic matters left to the sole discretion of the State, but a matter clearly regulated by international human rights law. Under any circumstances, a minimum level of human rights set forth in the international documents must be guaranteed to anyone in the state of statelessness. These human rights instruments except the Convention on the Rights of the Child, provide for international bodies that receive and consider complaints from individuals 62

Select target paragraph3