Airport fingerprinting system prevented 846 foreigners from entering Japan
The Ministry of Justice has declared that the biometric fingerprint scanning systems it installed in airports last year have successfully prevented 846 would-be illegal immigrants from entering Japan:
The ministry, which released a report on the system’s first year results on Friday, added that the number of visa overstayers is down 35 percent, compared to the previous year.
“Those illegally entering the country to work are being prevented, and the efficiency of border measures is increasing,” it said.
A total of 748 people were expelled for trying to re-enter the country during the 5-year period following a previous deportation, including 290 Koreans, 137 Filipinos and 83 Chinese. A further 98 — 18 Filipinos, 16 Iranians and 10 Sri Lankans — were deported for using false passports.
There have also been a few cases of immigration identifying suspects wanted by police in connection with crimes through biometric information.
The announcement comes a few days after the government released the results of a survey in which 52% of respondents agreed that increased numbers of foreign tourists made them “concerned about public safety” and there was a need for the government to “take measures” to address such concerns. Oddly, none of the other possible responses to the question allowed survey takers to express their opinions on necessary government actions, so I can’t help but wonder if the whole survey was conducted to produce a result that would display the public’s support for new legislation to give the Justice Ministry more power to crack down on visa fraud.
The Japanese language story about the survey appeared on Yahoo! News, and the top-voted comment (10,690 “I agree” votes) might give one a good idea of the kind of public safety concerns a few survey takers might have been thinking about:
Real tourists should be welcomed.
The problem is those who enter as tourists and become illegal overstayers.
Especially Chinese and Koreans.
The second highest rated comment (8,052 “I agree” votes) made reference to revisions to the nationality law being discussed in the Diet:
People are this worried about tourism, but what if the nationality law is revised?! It will be a free-for-all of crime and espionage!
There were also comments about the bad manners of some Asian tourists, and and a few calling for Japan to once again close itself off from the outside world. Some level-headed realists were also present in the comment thread, pointing out that the new tourism agency and new government policies will only funnel money into corrupt amakudari organizations.
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Categories: Foreigners in Japan
Indonesian used Japanese passport to illegally enter Japan
A TBS news clip about an illegally immigrant from Indonesia arrested in Nagano prefecture:
Two Japanese men who helped the Indonesian man fraudulently apply for/renew a passport under a Japanese name have also been arrested. The Indonesian man had been fraudulently using a Japanese passport to enter and leave the country since 1999, and since 2004 he had been using the passport to visit Indonesia about twice a year.
When asked for to comment about the man’s appearance, police said “from a distance, he kind of looks like a Japanese person.”
With Japanese airports only scanning the finger prints of those without Japanese passports, it should not shock anyone that some illegal immigrants have been attempting to enter the country using Japanese passports.
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Categories: Foreigners in Japan
Former ALT to become lawyer in Japan
Japan has had some foreign lawyers in the past (about 140), but until now all of them have held permanent residency. The Asahi reported yesterday that British citizen Peter Tam and South Korean citizen Park Han Young will become the first foreigners without permanent residency to undergo legal training in Japan.
Peter Tam, who first came to Japan to teach English in Japanese public schools as an ALT, is aiming to become a lawyer so he can help foreigners and young people:
Tam decided to apply for law school, thinking that he might pass the new type of bar exam about to be introduced. He studied late into the night after work and was admitted to Keio Law School in spring 2005.
Tam said he’d like to become a lawyer and help young people and foreigners. But he also thinks a job at a law firm that handles overseas negotiations may be more suitable for him.
He also said he’d like to contribute to Japanese society, for the sake of his friends and others who helped him in Japan.
Park Han Young also has an impressive goal: to naturalize and become a judge in Japan.
Good luck, guys!
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Categories: Foreigners in Japan
Aso apologizes for remarks about the costly medical bills of lazy old people
Prime Minister Taro Aso’s latest gaffe probably won’t make many elderly voters happy:
“They’re hobbling around and constantly going to the doctor,” Prime Minister Taro Aso was quoted as saying in a transcript of a Nov. 20 meeting of ministers on economic policies.
Aso also said the elderly should be faulted for not exercising enough.
“I am paying taxes. Why should I pay money for those who lazily drink and eat and do nothing?” he said.
The transcript was released overnight, drawing immediate criticism in the Japanese media and forcing an apology from the prime minister Thursday.
“I apologize if the remarks offended people who are suffering illnesses,” Aso said on nationally televised news.
Aso said that he was just trying to comment on the need for preventive medicine and healthy lifestyles.
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Categories: Politics
Noriko Calderon allowed to stay in Japan (for now)
UPDATE: Noriko has been granted special residency.
An update on the case of Noriko Calderon, a girl born in Japan who was facing deportation because her parents are illegal immigrants (video from TBS):
Japanese immigration authorities have decided that they need more time to consider the Calderon family’s situation, so their permission to stay in Japan has been extended until January 14th.
On that day, the government will announce one of three possible outcomes:
- The granting of special residency to Noriko and/or her parents
- Deportation of Noriko and her parents
- Another delay in the deadline so the government can continue to ponder the case
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Do you think the Japanese government should grant special residency to illegal immigrants that have children in Japan?
[hat tip to the Overthinker]
Categories: General Japan
Russian sumo wrestler lied about match rigging
Former sumo wrestler Wakanoho (Aleksandrovich Gagloev) has admitted that the allegations he made about match rigging were untrue:
He says he made the whole thing up because a person claiming to be friend of a stablemaster told him that speaking out about match rigging would help his chances of being unbanned by the Japan Sumo Association. It didn’t.
Wakanoho now says he deeply regrets making false statements and wants to apologize directly to the sumo wrestlers he named when making the accusations.
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Categories: Foreigners in Japan