one, three or five years according to the type of “misconduct”. Hundred and eighty-four organizations were recognized to engage in “misconduct” during the year 2011.

## ☐ More appropriate and smoother admission of international students

• “New Growth Strategy” aims to accept 300,000 talented international students into Japan. In order to achieve the policy goal, the Immigration Bureau is promoting more appropriate and smoother admission of international students by simplifying documents for applications to be submitted from colleges etc. that properly manage student enrollment.

• From a viewpoint of promoting admission of international students through helping them to get employed in Japan, on July 1, 2011, the landing permission criteria (Ministerial Ordinance) involving the statuses of residence of “Engineer” and “Specialist in Humanities/International Services” were amended so that international students who graduated from vocational/technical schools in Japan and hold a “Senmonshi” or specialist degree are able to satisfy the requirements of educational qualifications set forth in the criteria.

## ○ Measures against illegal and false foreign residents in Japan

• There has been a steady decrease in the number of illegal overstayers. The decrease seems to be the outcome of past efforts over the years. However, it is estimated that still there are some 67,000 illegally overstaying foreign nationals (as of January 1, 2012), and efforts to further decrease the number of overstayers have been promoted by strengthening detection, reinforcing collection and analysis of information on illegal foreign residents, and promoting voluntary appearance.

“False residents” stands for foreign nationals who disguise themselves as lawful residents by falsifying their status of residence and purpose of stay by means of fake marriage, pretending to be students, etc. and work without legal status in Japan by misusing, forging or alternating documents or abusing fraudulent documents. Since they look lawful residents, precise data on their actual number has not been obtained. The existence of false residents abusing the system of status of residence cannot be overlooked, and therefore, the Immigration Bureau is striving to strengthen the detection of false foreign residents, and reinforce collection and analysis of information.

• In July 2010, the Immigration Detention Facilities Visiting Committee consisting of intellectuals from outside the Immigration Bureau has established, and the Immigration Bureau continues to make efforts to ensure further transparency in security treatment, and improve and enhance operations of immigration detention centers, etc., while taking the Committee’s views into consideration.

• For detainees detained for a certain period of time after a written deportation order is issued, the Immigration Bureau has continuously made efforts to examine and discuss periodically the necessity and reason for a provisional release of such detainees and flexibly utilize the provisional release while taking individual situations into account to implement further appropriate deportation procedures.

• Based on the agreement concluded between the Immigration Bureau and the Japan Federation of Bar Associations (JFBA) in September 2010, the Immigration Bureau is to hold a discussion with JFBA, on measures to achieve a better state of affairs over issues regarding detainment in immigration control administration. In addition, the Immigration Bureau and JFBA made legal consultation etc. by lawyers for detainees.

## ☐ Appropriate operation of special permission to stay in Japan

- The Immigration Bureau is taking various measures, including formulation and announcement of the Guidelines on Special Permission to stay in Japan and publication of the Cases where Special Permission to Stay was Granted and the Cases where Special Permission to Stay was Denied and the Immigration Bureau has continuously dealt with enhancing the transparency and predictability of the special permission to stay. The “Guidelines on Special Permission to Stay in Japan” provides more details concerning matters to be considered in judging whether to grant special permission to stay or not. It also presents the concept for judgment.

## ☐ Promotion of appropriate and prompt refugee protection

• For early stabilization of legal status of people to be recognized as refugees etc., the Immigration Bureau has set six months as the standard processing period for protracted examination for application for refugee status,