Comments on: New Fingerprint/Photo Immigration System Begins, Japanese Media Reports

By: JapanNewbie » Now I’m On The Record US-VISIT Style

JapanNewbie » Now I’m On The Record US-VISIT Style — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 13:09:07 +0000

[...] that hadn’t already been said. I mean, there are entire blogs devoted to the issue, and JapanProbe has covered it frequently in the past. Unfortunately, the passage of time has taken its toll and the clamor seems [...]

By: equinoXio » » Godzilla, los ovnis y el sistema defensivo japonés

equinoXio » » Godzilla, los ovnis y el sistema defensivo japonés — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 07:01:08 +0000

[...] de huellas a los extranjeros -entre ellos los residentes- que ingresen al archipiélago desde el pasado 20 de noviembre, o el eterno temor de un ataque con misiles por parte de, digamos, Corea del Norte. Ante la [...]

By: mila cruz

mila cruz — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 16:41:15 +0000

i agree with you considering the number of crimes commited by some japanese, compare it in quantity.

By: Dai-Cast Zeta 003 - Japanese Foreigner Fingerprints, and Your Rights at tiltyhouse

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 14:27:54 +0000

[...] Media Reports on the New Fingerprinting System – japanprobe.com [...]

By: Kiasu Crossover

Kiasu Crossover — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 20:22:34 +0000

[...] I just thought that it really didn’t make any sense at all – writing about what I think of the issue. Basically, I just placed too much drama in it, just like how these guys did on their writing. [...]

By: The Overthinker

The Overthinker — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 08:44:56 +0000

Does this apply to all green cards or only the newer biometric ones? As in the quote I gave, “I think it’s for the guys who had their GC’s for some time now, before the fingers were scanned”?

By: mg2003

mg2003 — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 08:19:50 +0000

The quote I pulled was a quote from Discover America, which is apparently “the official travel and tourism website of the United States” according to their website:
http://discoveramerica.com/

The Age article is actually from AP, so this was reprinted everywhere. I read it first on The Age though…

By: NPS

NPS — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 07:46:24 +0000

As a Green Card (US) holder that travels in and out of the US, *NO* US airport has or will require US resident Green Card holders to be fingerprinted or photographed when entering the United States. *ALL* newer Green Cards (Permanent Residence Cards) had to be issued with biometric data put on file with DHS. The DHS has the data. US Residents still use the US Citizens line as the processing time is the same as a scanned US passport.

So the data they are capturing from visitors is already captured and stored.

So Fox News isn’t correct…

By: J-ude

J-ude — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 22:38:33 +0000

Huh…? The quality of posts on Japanese issues, as always, never seems to change. I’m still not sure how this relates to anything, but yes, yelling about Koreans’ mess seems to always be a reliable retort.

By: Kiasu Crossover

Kiasu Crossover — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 21:25:28 +0000

[...] bit) overreacting about terrorism? – that’s what I thought. Before reading his blog entry and some news, I never really had any bad comments about anything Japanese (or at [...]

By: The Overthinker

The Overthinker — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 14:23:24 +0000

According to comments on this site:
http://www.debito.org/index.php/?page_id=745#comment-95045
the process seems to be generally smooth for re-entry (but don’t try pre-registering) and there still seem to be re-entry lines (so residents don’t have to line up with the tourists).

By: quijote

quijote — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 12:24:53 +0000

The best part of the Fuji TV report is when they go to VO narration–two out of the 6 or 7 people they show footage of actually being photographed/fingerprinted are women wearing headscarves.

By: Anastasius

Anastasius — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 03:54:16 +0000

“the cameras on the machines proved incapable of photographing the faces of tall foreigners. In such cases, the foreigners in question had to keep re-do their scans until they could properly maneuver themselves into the camera’s range of vision.”

Awesome! Now they have us gaijin terrorist scum also physically bending over.

By: James

James — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 03:47:24 +0000

All foreigners under 16 will not be fingerprinted.

By: The Overthinker

The Overthinker — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 03:42:15 +0000

Thanks. I note that Japan provides more than half of all incoming Asian visitors – though considerably lower than 2000. The Grand Total is about what it was in 2000, but much of the regrowth has been from NA – 2004-2006 shows a bit over one million for other Overseas and about four million for NA.

However this is all arriving people, not just tourist numbers. Still, I wonder where The Age got their figures.

By: Akoua Doffou

Akoua Doffou — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 01:42:01 +0000

So, when I go to Japan in July, I have to get fingerprinted? Does it apply to minors?

By: Ken Y-N

Ken Y-N — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 23:48:06 +0000

Here for instance:

http://tinet.ita.doc.gov/outreachpages/inbound.intl_arrivals_historic_visitation_2000-2006.html

By: K

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 22:51:25 +0000

Yeah, right you Korean-Chinese-Philipino confused person!

That’s why there are 2 MILLION Koreans in the USA. Right? And most of them don’t even try to learn English. That’s how sad both America is, and how Korean people are in the USA.

Geez

By: RYO

RYO — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 21:32:54 +0000

I think that there are two issues at play here. One is inconvenience as the kinks in the newly introduced system get worked out. The other is privacy concerns. Once the kinks get worked out, this system should not be nearly as controversial as it apparently is. All sovereign governments have the right to subject foreign nationals to immigration controls at their ports of entry. If you think they’re treating you like potential criminals, I think you should learn to develop thicker skin (or try entering the States for some perspective – see comment by K above).

By: K

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 20:50:49 +0000

Welcome to the future.

Japan will not be the only to be doing this in the future.

I know for a fact that the Foreigners who are going through the ports who are experiencing this system is absolutely amazed at how technologically and totally organized it is, compared to the mess and shamble that they experience in other parts of the world, including the sad state of affairs at places like the USA.
When was the last time you went through the Delta terminal at JFK? So, so sad. I was just going through there the other week, and I could not believe how disorganized, how confused, and how totally unsafe I felt seeing all those NYPD and Homeland Security agents not wanting to help each other.

By: D-san

D-san — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 20:20:12 +0000

I read somewhere that they won’t do it to military members. Is that true?

By: J-ude

J-ude — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 17:39:41 +0000

I find this fear of terrorism ironic considering that Japan was the home for some terrorist organizations (ie. Nihon Sekigun) and that the last major ‘attack’ in Japan was done by Japanese (Aleph). I think they should focus on fingerprinting their own than foreigners; they seem more likely to be violent in a large scale than foreigners.

By: Ippoippo » Japan, great place to eat, sucks if you are a foreigner

Ippoippo » Japan, great place to eat, sucks if you are a foreigner — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 17:14:55 +0000

[...] more links on the story here, here, and [...]

By: Trevor Hill

Trevor Hill — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 14:48:06 +0000

It’s not “treating you as a criminal” just to know who the heck you are.

By: The Overthinker

The Overthinker — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 14:45:13 +0000

Definitely was not there. The JT is playing with us.

By: Yanpa

Yanpa — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 14:21:11 +0000

That must have been added – definitely wasn’t there when I first saw the article.

By: Karisu

Karisu — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 13:27:22 +0000

What exactly is “safe” about treating everyone entering your country as a criminal? It won’t stop people intent on doing harm from still doing so.

Someone determined to to commit a crime can still easily wear gloves and a mask.

It’s ridiculous to think this will make anyone safer.

By: The Unseen One

The Unseen One — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 12:35:53 +0000

At the bottom of the page, it says:
“Note: This is a fictitious e-mail from a fictitious government official.”

*WHEW*
Had me going there for a minute!

By: The Overthinker

The Overthinker — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 09:57:49 +0000

This is the news site I saw it on:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,205943,00.html
This is the same article:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-07-27-usvisit_x.htm
Found this on a forum: “Just returned too, GC’s were scanned and that’s it….I think it’s for the guys who had their GC’s for some time now, before the fingers were scanned…When we came in the first time they did that….now it’s on the GC so they do not need it !!!”
(http://www.sausa.org/index.php?s=1c314b3c40f6db8adecc9b56eb0f4a6b&showtopic=3158&pid=33047&st=0&#entry33047)

BTW, Japan Probe is a page one Google hit for “US-VISIT green card fingerprint”….

By: Kevin

Kevin — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 09:56:57 +0000

Basically the government is trying to look like they are doing something to fight foreign crime while at the same time looking for new ‘sources’ of crime (i.e. artificially increasing crime rates) to feed the media. There was a drop in crimes committed by foreign nationals in 2006 and this fact probably has conservatives and police really scared. If the crime rate by foreigners is dropping and yet the crime rate overall begins to rise it means a)they’re not doing their job properly or b)Japanese people really were the source of the crime – this gets back to the whole cultural crisis that you hear all the time.

And just for the record, I would say A right off the bat because crime dropped overall for both foreign and Japanese people. I can’t definitively say crime is on the rise, but it sure doesn’t feel any safer.

By: The Overthinker

The Overthinker — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 09:39:41 +0000

That’s a joke, right?

By: The Overthinker

The Overthinker — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 09:35:16 +0000

There’s something at the heart of it. I’m not sure how big this point you mention is – it could be significant. Personally I think this is not remotely enough justification, but then I’m too cynical to think that any form of safety or security is really behind this – just control, in any form, plus large government contracts, plus pacifying the citizenry to keep them pliable.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 09:26:08 +0000

I think you’re overthinking things a bit.

By saying they want to prevent the re-entry of illegal overstayers, I think they are referring to those people who have already been sent home to their country of origin after overstaying their visa and have returned with falsified passport information. I think they are assuming that if they have fingerprints on record that even if the person returns with a fake passport they can verify it with biometric data.

I in no way support the introduction of this system but since terrorism is obviously not the reason for its installation, I would assume that this overstayer ‘problem’ is the heart of the matter.

By: James

James — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 08:53:27 +0000

Curses. Why did I dare to trust the Agence France-Presse!

By: ninjatim

ninjatim — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 08:51:46 +0000

This bureaucrat really does think that all foreigners should just stay home.

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/mail/fl20071120a1.html

By: himawari

himawari — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 08:33:39 +0000

Bleh, this is just part of Japan’s “all foreigners are criminals” propaganda.

By: The Overthinker

The Overthinker — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 08:12:36 +0000

No, they are not trying to be safe. They are trying to convince their citizens that the government is making them safe. Big difference.

By: The Overthinker

The Overthinker — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 08:11:36 +0000

Do you have stats and breakdowns of those numbers?

By: The Overthinker

The Overthinker — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 08:09:04 +0000

I note the TBS clip refers to its role in preventing the re-entry of illegal overstayers. This is a pathetic excuse. To re-enter Japan while being an illegal overstayer you still need a re-entry permit, and re-entry permits are never given for longer than your visa. So anyone without a re-entry permit cannot re-enter but must come in as a normal tourist (and how are you going to catch those in ways you couldn’t before?). And the claim that they don’t know how many illegals are in the country is dodgy. Aside from the small number that are literally smuggled in using container ships etc, everyone who comes into Japan is checked, everyone who goes out is checked, and all you need to do is compare the two numbers while making allowances for short-term tourists. And since the embarkation card number is the same, it should be easy.

Frankly, looking at the news, I can’t help wondering if there’s a “America’s got this new gadget so Japan must have it too!” aspect to the whole thing….

By: The Overthinker

The Overthinker — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 08:03:34 +0000

Read recently (Fox News, so…?) that the US now gets Green Card holders to do this as well.

By: annie

annie — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 07:56:33 +0000

I guess Japan is trying to be safe. Rather be safe then be sorry.

By: Ken Y-N

Ken Y-N — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 07:30:14 +0000

Since US-VISIT was introduced, tourist numbers to the US have in fact increased each year, although not sufficiently enough to recover from the 9/11 shock yet, although I think this year they might get back to pre-9/11 levels.

By: Turner

Turner — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 07:08:23 +0000

Has anyone tried out the automated ticket gate? Any stories there?

By: mg2003

mg2003 — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 07:02:27 +0000

Will this new system make Japan less attractive as an international tourism/business destination?

Well, lets see. This system is modelled on the system in the US, who most likely pressured Japan into adopting the same.
Fingerprinting foreigners was their first step down a path of unwelcoming (to put it lightly) border security.

“The overall 17-percent decline in overseas travel to the U.S. since 9/11 has cost America $94 billion in lost visitor spending, nearly 200,000 jobs, and $16 billion in lost taxes.”
http://www.theage.com.au/news/news/unwelcome-tourists-avoid-the-us/2007/11/02/1193619101824.html

Well done Japanese government. I hope the benefits you get from pandering to the “War on Terror” outway the cost of this bonehead move.

By: James

James — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 07:01:05 +0000

Japan’s system is actually stricter than the US VISIT system:

“Unlike in the United States, where green card holders are exempt, Japan will extend the controls to foreign permanent residents.”

http://www.news.com.au/travel/story/0,25917,22791421-27977,00.html

I’ve read some places that re-entry permit holders may have a special line, but they’re still going to be fingerprinted every time they re-enter Japan.