DIET REVISES IMMIGRATION LAWS AMID PROTESTS FROM FOREIGN RESIDENTS

The Diet passed bills Wednesday to revise immigration laws in order to strengthen measures against foreigners who stay in Japan illegally, despite protests from non-Japanese residents that their views have not been fully heard by the government.

The bills passed through the House of Councillors with support from the ruling bloc and the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan. The amendment will unify administrative work concerning foreigners, which is currently undertaken by both the central and local governments, and enable the Justice Ministry to solely execute tasks.

The bills, which have been discussed in parliament since April 24, will also abolish the alien registration card that local municipalities issue, and instead require the central government to issue a new residency card to foreigners who stay in Japan longer than three months.

The bills cleared the House of Representatives on June 19 after the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, its coalition partner the New Komeito party and the DPJ agreed on modifications to them, such as deleting a clause that would have required permanent residents of Korean and Taiwanese descent to always carry a residency card.

Foreign residents and their supporters claim the amendments would tighten controls and increase the burdens on them.

Under the revised immigration laws, foreigners who fail to notify the government of a change in address within 14 days would be fined up to 200,000 yen, and their residency status could be revoked if they fail to report changes within 90 days.

Foreign spouses of Japanese or non-Japanese permanent residents could lose their residency status if they fail to ‘‘conduct activities normally carried out by spouses’’ for six months under the revised immigration laws, but victims of domestic violence would be immune to that condition.
source: japan today

NEW GUIDELINE SET FOR GRANTING SPECIAL PERMISSION FOR ILLEGALS TO STAY Friday 10th July, 09:09 AM JST

TOKYO —

Illegal immigrants could be granted special residence permission if they live with and raise school-age children, Justice Minister Eisuke Mori suggested Friday. Under a new guideline to be introduced Monday, ‘‘those who raise elementary, junior or senior high school children living in Japan for more than 10 years, who voluntarily report they have overstayed and who have no other record of law violation’’ could be allowed to remain.

However, those who have committed crimes involving drugs and guns will not be granted special residence permission, Mori indicated at a press conference. A justice minister is authorized to grant special residence based on the guideline.

The new guideline has been compiled following the case of a 14-year-old Filipino girl, born and raised in Japan, whose parents were deported to their country in April. The family had long been seeking special residence permission for the whole family, but the Justice Ministry rejected the parents’ request to stay while allowing their daughter to remain.

Since then, criticism has grown that the criteria for granting special permission to stay are unclear.

The ministry noted, however, that even under the new guideline, the Filipino couple would still have had to leave Japan as they entered the country using other people’s passports.

Maganda ito para sa mga overstay na walang inisip kundi ang future nila at kabutihan ng anak nila.