Nationality

Today I unexpectedly teared up as I finally gave up my Japanese nationality.

This is because I’ve naturalised as a British citizen, and Japan does not allow for dual citizenship.

I think of the nursery rhymes, the hours spent learning to read, write and speak Japanese which feels like a thing of the past.

But identity transcends borders and documents, and I will always be Japanese by heritage and upbringing.

Nationality is but a narrow spectrum of our identity. A mere sociological construct that is becoming increasingly fluid in meaning.

Our identity is an amalgamation of everything that we’ve lived in our life time.