Tightening Oversight Japan and Foreign Residents Readers with the Japan Times on Saturday, June 27, 2009,

, might have read Minoru Matsutanis write-up on tightening oversight on foreigners. Bills are in progress within the Diet plan for revising the immigration law and are expected to pass. The Immigration Bureau says that they merely want much more info and to much better understand the facts about foreigners staying in Japan with expired visas. Currently data about non-Japanese in Japan is managed by every local government. Municipalities exactly where foreigners reside manage the data, which includes names, addresses, and visa length. The justice minister does not manage the information and apparently does not have automatic access to it. The new bills will allow the justice minister, and thus the Immigration Bureau, to have all this data. The bills had been sent to the Lower Home on March 6; now they are within the Upper House. The new program will make it much more difficult for illegal residents because the Justice Ministry will have their individual info. Punishments will be harsher for foreigners who do not report changes in their visa status. The bills will lead to legislation that is a lot stricter than present laws. Yet, the bills propose that illegal foreigners who turn themselves in may be granted special permission to stay in Japan. The situation today will be the same. Under the new laws, however, the standard for granting special permission should be stipulated. The objective would be to motivate overstayers to turn themselves in. Now, as is typical in Japan, particular criteria do not clearly exist. Permission is granted, or not, on whats referred to as a case by case basis. The Immigration Bureau internet website provides examples of both instances that had been granted and denied. As is the nature of case by case guidance, the meaning of every case is often vague. Human rights groups share concern that the Immigration Bureau will be able to access the individual information of all documented foreigners in Japan, infringing their privacy. Human rights groups have each and every right to be concerned, but theres limited concern in Japan about government handling the individual info of Japanese citizens. Last year, the Supreme Court of Japan declared the national Juki Net registration system as constitutional. The Supreme Court didnt seem to have concerns about mishandling info or invading privacy. Juki Net carries info for Japanese comparable to that which the immigration bureau will have for foreigners. If Japanese citizens are not protected, foreigners will definitely not be protected. The Immigration Bureau has pointed out the benefits of these bills: extending visa length from 3 to 5 years and eliminating the present re-entry permit for trips outside Japan much less than one year. The impact with the disadvantages, however, is far from clear. The question is who knows who will come to power within the future and what those in power will do with data about Japanese citizens and foreigners residing in Japan. The Japanese government would do nicely to be much more

concerned about problems of appropriate information management and privacy protection. I'm concerned. By on Know more about Japan