In May 2006, an Immigration law was revised in
order to prevent terrorist attacks. With this revision,
landing examination (screening) procedures for passengers
arriving in Japan will change. These new procedures
will go into effect by November 23, 2007.
When foreigners enter Japan, it has become mandatory
for them to provide personal identification information
like fingerprints and photographs. This procedure
will also apply to foreigners when they enter Japan
again, even though they may have already lived in
Japan and obtained a re-entry visa. However, foreigners
who are under 16 years of age, who hold special permanent
residency, or who have diplomatic or official status,
will be excluded.
This gathering of personal identification information
carried out as part of landing procedures will make
it possible to identify terrorists at the point of
entry into Japan and to prevent acts of terrorism.
If foreigners refuse to comply with these procedures,
they will not be permitted to enter Japan and will
be ordered to leave the country.
You can obtain information about the revision of
the Immigration Law through a video produced by the
Immigration Bureau of the Ministry of Justice on the
following government Internet website.
English: nettv.gov-online.go.jp/prg/prg1203.html
Advisor: KUROKAWA Koji (Immigration Lawyer)
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