or she had been holding after reaching adulthood has serious effects not only against the person concerned, but also against society itself, causing especially significant confusion in relation to one’s right to vote, to run for election, or to assume the position of a public servant. Furthermore, if the person concerned has already been married and has had children or grandchildren, then it can be predicted that his loss of nationality will affect these offspring’s nationality by a “domino effect” under the jus sanguinis principle. Second, it is problematic that recognition of parentage is currently interpreted so as not to have a retroactive effect in relation to nationality. In this particular case, the parent-child relationship forming the basis for A’s nationality acquisition was denied retroactively at birth, and thus his or her Japanese nationality was retroactively denied. A’s biological father immediately recognized him or her. However, while recognition of parentage indeed has a retroactive effect under the Civil Code (Article 784 of Civil Code), his or her Japanese nationality was still denied due to the official interpretation denying a retroactive effect in relation to the acquisition of nationality. (2) Possible size of Category E There are no statistics that directly show the number of persons who retroactively lose Japanese nationality due to a change in personal status. Thus, an attempt is to be made to identify the number based on the number of cases which have undertaken a procedure to change personal status (such as a denial of paternity) possibly causing a loss of nationality. Realistically, the typical scenario where this category of stateless persons arises is where a person acquires Japanese nationality through his or her father by birth via jus soli, but then such a father-child relationship is subsequently denied and the Japanese nationality that he or she (is supposed to have) received from the father is retroactively lost. The legal procedures which may cause such situation include: (i) denial of legitimate 85