Naomi Osaka, WTA world no.3 and winner of the 2020 US Open edition, was one of the most amazing female athletes of the last season, and not only thanks to her incredible performances on the court, which allowed her to win her 3rd Slam career.
Her active role in Black Lives Matter, the covers of magazines, the nomination by Forbes as the highest paid athlete of the year and also the criticism for the photo posted on a private jet on Christmas Eve with her boyfriend.
However, this year you could be faced with a very important and perhaps obligatory choice. Despite having spent most of her life in the United States, Osaka has always represented Japan in international competitions: she will be one of the cover-women of Tokyo Olympic 2021.
Is Naomi Osaka about to give up her US citizenship?
Naomi Osaka announced in 2019 that she would be renouncing US citizenship in compliance with Japanese laws that do not formally recognize dual citizenship. Up to now, in fact, Osaka has benefited from an exception granted by Japanese legislation to hafu, the children of couples of mixed nationality.
According to Japanese law, hafu have the possibility to keep double passports until the age of 22, after which they must choose one or the other nationality. Osaka turned 22 on October 16th 2019 and she has repeatedly confirmed that she intends to keep only her Japanese passport.
Naomi first in Florida and California. For the moment, according to some rumors, Osaka has not yet given up her US citizenship, despite more than a year having passed since her twenty-second birthday, but maybe something could change before Tokyo 2021.
During the last Western & Southern Open, Naomi was asked a question about the US presidential election, and specifically about candidate vice-president Kamala Harris. She said: “I’m in a strange, difficult position.
I shouldn’t talk about politics, because technically I’m not an American. I’ve always been told not to say anything, so I don’t know how to behave. But it’s strange to live in a country, to see the things that happen and want to express their opinion, but not be able to. ” What will Naomi Osaka decide to do?
