New Procedures in Entering Japan for Foreigners

[pipokun]

I just came back from talking to one of the guys down at the City office about this. I was surprissed by him saying that it is silly how permanent residents have to do this( well actually I was hoping he would say that). This is the only beef I have with this new system.

The City Office is not the competent authority who enforces the new scheme. Just go to the immigraiton office nearby.
I am also surprised to hear you did not know this. Sorry if your local city office in your home country would know everything.

 

[nyouyaku]

I just came back from talking to one of the guys down at the City office about this. I was surprissed by him saying that it is silly how permanent residents have to do this( well actually I was hoping he would say that). This is the only beef I have with this new system.

I think it is just Japan letting you PR holders know that a Gaijin is a Gaijin, an outsider, and it is just a friendly reminder that you are not one of the Japanese.

 

[Glenski]

There's more to it than that, nyouyaku.

 

[Davey]

Look what I have found:

Japan Ends Fingerprinting of Many Non-Japanese


By JAMES STERNGOLD,
Published: May 21, 1992
After years of bitter protests and debate, the Parliament passed a bill today that will eliminate routine fingerprinting of permanent foreign residents, a practice that many non-Japanese have regarded as a humiliating symbol of government-sanctioned discrimination.

While the news was welcomed by many foreigners, especially the Korean residents who will be the principal beneficiaries, many insisted the bill leaves in place an extensive system of unfair controls on non-Japanese residents.

For instance, foreign residents can still be arrested if they are found without their alien registration cards, or face criminal prosecution if they fail to report changes of address or jobs to the Government within two weeks. Permanent foreign residents, many of whose families have been in Japan for generations, also complained that they would still be denied the right to work for the Government or to vote.

"I'm pleased with this change, but if you look at other elements of the law, you will find it still includes many forms of discrimination," said Sohn Chung In, an official of the Korean Residents Union of Japan. "This is a step forward, but not a change in the society."...

Read the whole article.

Please notice the publication date

 

[nyouyaku]

remember, though, that was BEFORE September 11th.

 

[Glenski]

Yeah, yeah, nyouyaku. Like I wrote somewhere on this site, others have tried making that connection, but it doesn't wash for all the reasons given by me and others.

1. It doesn't include all foreigners.
2. No foreigner has commited terrorist acts in Japan.
3. Nobody has actually established a direct connection between 9/11 and the fingerprinting policy (which seems to have started 3 whole YEARS after 9/11). Pretty inefficient for the Japanese.

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

Not to go off topic, but it looks like Japan is not alone.....

Canada.Com | Homepage | Canada.Com

 

[Kyoto Returnee]

Australia tried to pass a bill not so long ago requiring ALL residents to have an ID card. It failed!

Thailand also has ID cards.

The thing about Japan is that it is for non Japanese only, correct?

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

The thing about Japan is that it is for non Japanese only, correct?

How is that different from what the European Union is proposing?

 

[FrustratedDave]

The City Office is not the competent authority who enforces the new scheme. Just go to the immigraiton office nearby.
I am also surprised to hear you did not know this. Sorry if your local city office in your home country would know everything.

Of corse I knew, but what I was supprised about was the guy at the City office saying how silly it was for PR to have to go through the proccess, I would have figured they would have been told that it is their duty to keep foriengers properly informed. I also know that it is the immigration that does the enforcing, but I am almost friends with the guy at the City office b/c ever time I have to update my alien card or register something or get a Jyuuminhyou or anything else, I always talk to this guy. It was more of a general conversation than me asking why we had to do this.

 

[Razzaq]

Hi, This post of yours is very beneficial and informative, however there are some specific facts or information that I require. If anyone can help me in this matter then please send me a private message.
Best Regards,

 

[Glenski]

What do you want to know, Razzaq? PMs work both ways.