Immigration Japan Immigration Agency shares data on foreign nationals with municipalities nationwide

The Immigration Services Agency (ISA) has begun sharing information with municipalities nationwide on foreign nationals living in their communities while undergoing deportation proceedings. The information includes residential addresses. Previously, such details were provided only in limited circumstances, including when the person concerned had given consent. This sometimes left municipalities unable to confirm where individuals were living, and in some cases they subsequently disappeared.

The new system is intended to improve coordination between the central government and local authorities and allow closer monitoring of individual cases. The programme began in July as part of broader measures by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's administration to strengthen its response to foreign nationals residing illegally in Japan.

Under the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Law, foreign nationals who overstay their visas or engage in activities outside the scope of their residence status become subject to deportation. However, they are not immediately removed from the country. They may remain while their cases are reviewed, while departure procedures are carried out or while asylum applications procedures are underway. In addition to immigration detention, Japan allows certain individuals to live in local communities under two alternative arrangements. One is provisional release, available to people requiring humanitarian consideration, such as certain medical conditions. The other is the sponsorship system, under which individuals may live outside detention facilities if supervised by a sponsor.

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According to ISA, deportation orders were issued to 7,722 foreign nationals in 2025. As of the end of 2025, 2,429 people were on provisional release, while 1,546 were living under the sponsorship system. During 2025, provisional release was revoked for 133 individuals, while sponsorship status was revoked for 60 people, primarily because they had absconded or were deemed likely to flee.