evidence of their leaving Japan.

- The Immigration Bureau implemented procedures so that foreign nationals who resided in the devastated area are able to apply the issue of a certificate of alien registration in the municipalities to which they evacuated. In addition, in order to support such municipalities which have difficulties in registering foreign nationals, the Immigration Bureau help such municipalities by conducting the registration in stead of the municipalities.

- The Immigration Bureau set up a specific phone number to conduct telephone counseling also on holidays so that foreign nationals who were affected by the earthquake can be provided with information.

## ☐ Introduction of the Points-based preferential treatment for highly-skilled foreign professionals in immigration procedure

Preferential treatment utilizing “points-based” system in immigration control for highly-skilled foreign professionals has been adopted through issuing a notification by the Ministry of Justice for the purpose of facilitating the acceptance of highly-skilled foreign nationals who are highly qualified, talented and expected to bring innovation and economic growth into Japan.

The system provides three categories of activities, namely, “advanced academic research activities,” “advanced professional and technical activities” and “advanced administrative and management activities,” each of which is subdivided into point items based on characters of these activities, such as “academic background,” “business career” and “annual income.” When they satisfy a criterion by gaining predetermined number of the total collected points of the items, the foreign nationals are admitted as a “highly skilled foreign professional” and granted a status of residence as “designated activities” by which they become eligible to enjoy preferential treatment in the immigration procedure. Concerning the system, necessary public notices of the Ministry of Justice was established on March 30, 2012, and the system started on May 7, 2012.

## ☐ Efforts for smooth introduction of the new residency management system

The Act for Partial Revision of the “Immigration Control Act(hereinafter called the “Act”) enacted in July 2009, led to the introduction of the “new residency management system” that enabled the Minister of Justice to continuously keep information necessary for residence management of foreign nationals residing in Japan with proper status of residence for a mid to long term.

• In accordance with the Act, foreign nationals residing in Japan with proper status of residence for a mid to long term became subject to the Residential Basic Book Act, and each municipality started to register foreign residents in the basic resident registration from the enforcement date of the Act to issue resident records in each municipality.

• Toward the enforcement of the new residency management system on July 9, 2012, the Immigration Bureau advanced study on organizing the ministerial ordinance and on the ideal operation of the bureau under the new system and preparing development of computer systems.

## ☐ Smooth and strict implementation of immigration examination at the port of entry

- At present, Japanese government efforts are being made to make Japan a tourism-oriented country, and smooth implementation of immigration examination at the port of entry is being promoted by introducing secondary immigration examination, and installation or addition of automated gates.

• In order to protect people’s lives and public safety, it is very important to unfailingly prevent the entry of terrorists disguised as tourists into the country. Therefore, strict immigration examination at the port of entry continues to be implemented through the utilization of biometrics information, the ICPO’s Database on Lost and Stolen Passports, the Advance Passenger Information System (APIS), etc.

## ○ Launch of new technical intern training programs

For the purpose of strengthening protection for trainees and technical interns by applying legal protection of labor relations law from the beginning of the training programs, new technical intern training programs were initiated on July 1, 2010. Thus, efforts to ensure the proper programs have been promoted.

• Under the provisions of the ministerial ordinance of the Ministry of Justice, the Immigration Bureau may identify “misconduct” with regard to organizations that have acted inappropriately regarding training and technical intern training and suspend such organizations from accepting trainees and technical interns for