Kochi Consultation Center for Foreign Residents（Kocoforre）

ス・ニューコフォーレコ

こ う ち け ん がいこくじんせいかつそうだん

Kocoforre News高知県外国人生活相談センター（ココフォーレ）

Issue 5: Winter 2024

“Kocoforre”is the nickname for the Kochi Consultation Center for Foreign Residents

With the fresh aroma of plum blossoms in the air, has everyone been keeping well? In Kocoforre
News, we introduce our Kocoforre's activities and useful information for foreign residents ofKochi, those who are connected with foreigners, and people interested in multiculturalism.

PermanentTopics Obtaining
Residency in Japan

Written using the following article: "Guidelines for
Permission for Permanent Residence (Revised December
1st, 2023)" by the Immigration Services Agency of Japan
https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/publications/materials/
nyukan_nyukan50.html“Permanent Resident”■ Legal Requirements for the residential status ofBeing a“Permanent Resident”provides significantly more relaxed residency management than other residentialstatuses, in that there are no restrictions on either residence activity or period of stay. Therefore, applications
for becoming a permanent resident are examined more carefully than the other residential statuses. There arethree main requirements in order to obtain the status of“Permanent Resident”.

❶ Be of good conduct

Obey the law and live an honest life.

The applicant observes Japanese laws,
and their daily living as a resident does notinvite any social criticism.

❷ Have sufficient assets or skills to earn an
independent living

Without being a burden on the public, the applicant is
expected to lead a stable life in the future based on
their assets or skills.

❸ The applicant's permanent residence be
regarded to be in accordance with theinterests of Japan(a) In principle, the applicant has stayed in Japan for morethan 10 years consecutively. It is also required that during
this period they have continued staying for more than 5years consecutively with a work-based residential status(excluding “Technical Intern Training” and “Specified
Skilled Worker (i)”) or a status-based residential status.
(b) The applicant has been never sentenced to a fine orimprisonment. They adequately fulfil public obligations
such as tax payment, public pension payment and publichealth insurance premium payment, as well as notifyingin accordance with the Immigration Control and Refugee
Recognition Act.
(c) The applicant is continuing to stay in Japan holding theeffective residential status with the maximum period ofstay specified in the Immigration Control and Refugee
Recognition Act.
(d) There is no risk that the applicant could do harm from apublic health perspective.

Special provisions
regarding-year
residence in principle

10Under certain special provisions,
you may be able to apply forpermanent residency even if you
have not stayed in Japan for 10years. Some of them are as follows.

Have the income and assets to live in Japan.
Income is determined on a household basis, soeven if the person applying has no income but
the household has a certain level of incomeand assets, the requirements can still be met.
Fo r e x a m p l e, i f yo u s t u d y at a uni ve r s i t y a s a ninternational student for 4 years out of 10 years andthen work for 6 years after graduation, you will meet therequirements because you will have been in Japan witha work-based residential status for 5 years or more. But
if you study for 6 years and then work for 4 years, youwill not meet the requirements. Time spent working inJapan as Technical Intern Trainee or Specified Skilled
Worker (i) is not counted as the part of 10 years.

You are required to pay your taxes, pension,and health insurance premiums properly.
Have the maximum period of stay for your current
residential status. Currently, a period of stay of
three years is considered the maximum.

Have no public health issues, such as nothaving an infectious disease.

For those with the residential
status of“Spouse or Child ofJapanese National”, etc.
The applicant who is a spouse of Japanese National,Permanent Resident, or Special Permanent Resident, hasbeen in a real marital relationship for more than 3 years
consecutively and has stayed in Japan for more than 1 year
consecutively. Also, the applicant who is a child of Japanese
National, Permanent Resident, or Special Permanent Resident
has stayed in Japan for more than 1 year consecutively.

For those withthe residential
status of“Long-TermResident”
The applicant has
stayed in Japan for
more than 5 years
consecutively.

For those with the residential status of“Highly-Skilled Professional”●The applicant has a total score of 70 points or more
based on the points calculation criteria specified in
the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition
Act, and meets one of the following requirements:●The applicant has a total score of 80 points or more
based on the points calculation criteria specified in
the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition
Act, and meets one of the following requirements:(a) The applicant has maintained the required
score as a “Highly-Skilled Foreign Professional"
and has stayed in Japan for more than 3 years
consecutively.
(b) The applicant has continuously stayed in Japanfor more than 3 years having kept 70 points ormore since the date, 3 years before the date ofapplication, when they were deemed to have 70
points or more at the time.

(a) The applicant has maintained the required
score as a "Highly-Skilled Foreign Professional"
and has stayed in Japan for more than 1 year
consecutively.
(b) The applicant has continuously stayed in Japanfor more than 1 year having kept 80 points ormore since the date, 1 year before the date ofapplication, when they were deemed to have 80
points or more at the time.

There are other special provisions in addition to those listed above.
For more information, please refer to the Immigration Services Agency website.
https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/publications/materials/nyukan_nyukan50.html

FreeAnnouncements from Kocoforre

Company Visits

Legal Consultations Now
Available at Kocoforre

legal advice

Legal consultations held at Houterasu can now
be conducted at Kocoforre, too. Consultations are available
for foreign nationals and naturalized citizens living in Kochi
Prefecture whose income and assets are below the designatedthreshold. Lawyers from the Kochi Bar Association will
provide legal consultations (excluding consultations regardingcriminal cases).

By holding yourlegal consultation atKocoforre, you can rest
easy about two things:

If you don't meet the criteria, we
can still refer you to a lawyer who
can offer assistance to foreigners.
Please note that in such cases,
there may be a consultation fee.

1. No pesky language barrier!
You can consult with lawyers in your native language.
Interpretation will be provided by consultants or interpretersat Kocoforre or a three-party telephone interpretation service.
2. We're with you every step of the way!
If you hold your consultation at Kocoforre, we can continue
to follow up with you about your case, and we can also advise
you on non-legal matters.
■For more information, check Kocoforre's website
https://kccfr.jp/en/shiteisoudanbasho-20221215/

Kocoforre staff visits companies to meet withforeign employees and introduce them toKochi Prefecture and the foreigner community
here, and give them useful information
about life in Kochi from a foreigner'sperspective. We also hold get-togethers (withinterpretation available) where participants
can ask questions or express worries about
their life in Japan in an informal setting. For
more information, please contact Kocoforre.

Kocoforre Volunteers
Wanted!
Kocoforre is looking for volunteers to help
provide support for foreigners living in
Kochi. Duties include administration orinterpreting at the town hall and other related
facilities. There have been many requests
for interpreters who can speak English.
Recently there were also some requests for
Vietnamese, Burmese, and Nepali. Whenregistering as a supporter, you will need toattend a one-hour guidance session. You canregister even if you do not speak a foreign
language, so please contact Kocoforre if you
are interested.

Kocoforre Consultation Sessions with Specialists*For more information, please refer to Kocoforre’s website and social media

February 18th,2024 (Sun)Tosa City On-site
Consultation＆Mini
SeminarTosa City Cultural
Complex "Tsunade"(Address:3451-1 Otsu,Takaoka-cho, Tosa-shi)

Consultations on status of residence and general concerns
about life in Japan will be held. There will also be a seminarconducted by members of the Takamatsu Regional
Immigration Services Bureau outlining fundamental
information regarding residential status.

February 26th(Mon) － March
2nd, 2024 (Sat)Free Legal
Consultation Week
for Foreigners

Kocoforre(Address: 4-1-37
Honmachi, Kochi-shi)

Lawyers will be giving free consultations to all clients
regardless of financial means (excluding corporations).

■Website■Instagram
Available inJapanese,English, Chinese,Korean,Indonesian, andVietnamese.

Usefulinformation onliving in Japanis posted insimple Japaneseand foreign
languages.

Published by: K ochi International Association
Kochi Consultation Center for Foreign Residents
Address: Marunouchi Building 1F, 4-1-37 Honmachi, Kochi City
780-0870
Contact info: TEL: 088-821-6440 FAX: 088-821-6441
E-mail: consultation@kccfr.jp
Website: https://kccfr.jp
Publication Date: February, 2024