Silviase/jgov_v1.4_full_ann huggingface dataset:
Based on such information, the Immigration Bureau prepares a list of suspect persons and screens terrorists by checking against this list.

As terrorists are likely to use forged or altered passports, the Immigration Bureau has established document examination offices and installed new high-performance forged or altered document examination devices with a magnification of more than ten times as large as that of previous devices and with a lighting system showing a perceivable system reaction toward forged or altered documents at major airports in order to improve document examination techniques for detecting forged or altered documents (see Section 3 below).

Recently, a large number of illegal immigrants leave their country of origin with genuine passports, then obtain forged or altered passports from brokers in the transit area of Narita Airport, and attempt to illegally enter the United States or other countries using such forged or altered passports. As preventing such behavior is of utmost importance as a countermeasure to terrorism and international organized crimes, the Immigration Bureau has been reinforcing patrol in the transit areas of Narita Airport, Kansai Airport and Chubu Airport in cooperation with the Customs and Tariff Bureau of the Ministry of Finance.

## (2) Utilizing APIS (Advance Passenger Information System)

It has become a critical issue in the international community to deter terrorists and members of international organized groups from moving freely across the world and to prevent their entry into the country at the border. Accordingly, in order to promote anti-terrorism measures and public security measures, it is vital to implement immigration examinations more strictly than ever and to stringently prevent suspect persons such as those involved in transnational crimes from entering Japan.

The Immigration Bureau will implement strict landing examinations based on the information on passengers and crewmembers obtained in advance through effective utilization of APIS, while maintaining a system to deal with the arrival of suspect persons in cooperation with related agencies. Thereby, the bureau will further work to prevent suspect persons from landing in Japan (see Chapter 2, Section 2, 3).

## (3) Dispatching Liaison Officers

Terrorists are highly likely to use forged or altered passports when they attempt to enter Japan. Thus, detecting and rejecting such passports at overseas airports in advance is considered to be a highly effective measure. Therefore, the Immigration Bureau dispatched an immigration control officer with excellent skills in document examination to Don Muang Airport in Thailand to serve as a liaison officer for a period of about three months from April 1, 2005.
## (4) Introducing New Measures

The Immigration Bureau is making efforts to smoothly accept foreign nationals to Japan while reinforcing border measures by implementing strict immigration examinations and introducing and carrying out new measures as follows in order to prevent terrorists from entering Japan: introduction of a secondary examination system to carefully examine foreign nationals who intend to enter Japan for questionable purposes, dispatch of liaison officers (see (3) above) for the purpose of preventing illegal immigrants who use forged or altered passports, and introduction of a pre-clearance system to prevent foreign nationals who intend to illegally enter Japan through an advance check at the place of departure.

Moreover, the Law for Partial Amendment of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act was enacted on May 17, 2006, which requires foreign nationals (excluding special permanent residents) to provide fingerprints and other personal identification information at the landing examination.

## (5) Framework for Close Cooperation with Related Agencies

As various agencies are in charge of preventing illegal immigrants from entering Japan, there is a need for these relevant agencies to form more cooperative relationships at the field level. To this end, the Japanese government established the “Inter-Ministerial Meeting on Border Control” consisting of the director-general level of staff of related administrative agencies on September 17, 2003. Furthermore, to enhance crisis management at international airports and seaports through closer cooperation with the related ministries, the Cabinet Secretariat set up the Airports/Seaports Crisis Management Team, consisting of director-level staff from ministerial headquarters, on January 16, 2004. The Immigration Bureau also participates in the Inter-Ministerial Meeting and the Crisis Management Team. In addition, crisis management officers are assigned to the major airports and seaports in Japan in order to secure coherency in immigration control tasks among the relevant ministries at the ministerial headquarters level and at the field level.

## Section 3 ◆Reinforcing Measures against Forged or Altered Documents

## 1 Overview of the Use of Forged or Altered Documents

There is an increasing trend to be seen of foreign nationals entering Japan using forged or altered passports, and it is not possible to disregard the existence of forged or altered passports and other documents used by international organized crime groups as a means of working
behind the scenes for the purpose of trafficking in persons or terrorist acts.

In recent years, forged or altered documents used in the immigration procedures have become increasingly more elaborate and sophisticated. These documents are produced in various ways such as simply changing the holder's photograph or printing false information on the holder's identity. Some foreign nationals also obtain genuine passports for themselves by dishonest means such as pretending to be someone else or by using a genuine passport where the holder has a similar face though these cases are not regarded as forgery or alteration of passports in a strict sense. Most foreign nationals who intend to enter Japan using such forged or altered documents or dishonest means aim to work illegally in Japan, and some of them may have been exploited by terrorists or international organized crime groups. From the point of view of ensuring public security, it is urgently required in immigration control to establish a strong and solid system to detect such forgery or alteration of documents at the border and to prevent suspect persons, without fail, from coming into Japan.

## 2 Measures against Forged or Altered Documents

## (1) Expanding the Organization

In order to reinforce the measures against forged or altered documents used in the immigration procedures, the Immigration Bureau established a document examination office in the Narita Airport District Immigration Office of the Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau in April 1999, in the Kansai Airport District Immigration Office of the Osaka Regional Immigration Bureau in April 2000, and in the Chubu Airport District Immigration Office of the Nagoya Regional Immigration Bureau in February 2005.

These new offices examine passports and other documents used in the immigration examination procedures, provide training on document examination for immigration control staff, analyze detected forged or altered documents, and prepare data on these documents for use in examination.

In April 2003, the Immigration Bureau established a document examination section in the Immigration Information Management Development Office of the General Affairs Division of the Immigration Bureau, Ministry of Justice, to collect, organize and analyze information on forged or altered documents, which had been accumulated at each document examination office in the past for the purpose of sharing information. In addition, the bureau has also made efforts to promote better coordination among document examination offices and to collect information regarding document examinations both inside and outside Japan. In April 2005, the Ministry of Justice created the new post of Senior Coordinator for Immigration Information Analysis in the General Affairs Division, Immigration Bureau in order to further strengthen the information collection and analysis system, and the Document Examination Section was
reassigned to the control of the Senior Coordinator for Immigration Information Analysis.

The Document Examination Section hosts yearly information exchange meetings for document examination office staff, and also arranges and provides training for document examination personnel nationwide with the cooperation of document examination offices.

## (2) Installing Examination Devices

In FY 2001, high-performance forged or altered document examination devices with communication functions were installed at the major airports and seaports in Japan. These new devices can enlarge the size of letters larger than previous devices, and they have a special lighting system. By using the communication function of these devices, document examination offices can mutually request inquiry into relevant passports and other documents in relation to the cases of forged or altered documents detected at local airports or seaports. This has made it possible for document examination offices to promptly share information on forged or altered documents.

In FY 2003, lighter, more compact document examination devices were installed in airports and seaports all over Japan in order to make it possible to examine passports at the immigration booths. Thereby further strict immigration examinations have been implemented.

Furthermore, in order to cope with the continually evolving methods of forgery and alteration, the Immigration Bureau installed state-of-the-art devices that can analyze the components of ink through the application of light of various wavelengths, in addition to conducting enlargement inspection at major airports.

In this manner, the Immigration Bureau has been making efforts to reinforce measures against forged or altered documents by actively providing training for immigration control staff as well as by improving and making maximum use of organizations and document examination devices.

## 3 Actual Detection of Forged or Altered Documents

As a result of these measures taken by the Immigration Bureau to improve the quality of devices, over 2,500 forged or altered documents have been detected every year in the last five years, and the number has shown no sign of decrease. (Chart 27, Table 49)

As Japan has an income gap with its neighboring nations, a large number of foreign nationals will probably continue to attempt illegal entry into Japan using forged or altered documents. Since human trafficking brokers at home and abroad are sending illegal immigrants to Japan for profit purposes, the techniques for illegally entering Japan will most likely become even more elaborate and sophisticated in the future.

However, although reinforced measures against forged or altered documents taken by the
bureau contributes to coping with trafficking in persons or terrorist activities, forgery and alteration techniques have become more elaborate in pace with reinforcement of the measures. In addition, there have been increasing cases in which foreign nationals attempt to enter Japan with the use of another person's genuine passport while pretending to be the other person who has a similar face. In such cases, it is difficult to completely prevent the foreign nationals who attempt to illegally enter Japan by means of conventional document examination devices alone, and therefore, it is vital to use biometrics.

Chart 27 Changes in the number of cases of detection of forged or altered documents

Table 49 Changes in the number of cases of detection of forged or altered documents

Number of Detections	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005
Landing	Passport	1,331	1,402	1,561	1,011	834
Others	1,226	985	1,856	1,547	1,622
Total	2,557	2,387	3,417	2,558	2,456
Departure	Passport	114	139	142	77	92
Others	64	68	101	53	74
Total	178	207	243	130	166
Total	Passport	1,445	1,541	1,703	1,088	926
Others	1,290	1,053	1,957	1,600	1,696
Total	2,735	2,594	3,660	2,688	2,622
## Section 4 ☑ Promoting IT-Based Immigration Control

The current immigration control system is made up of the Foreigners Entry and Departure Information System (FEIS), used concomitantly since FY 2004 onwards, as well as several supplementary subsystems. Through steady renewal, the system processes information on each and every immigration process, including all entries and departures, and administration and deportations of foreign nationals, in an integrated manner.

In immigration examinations at airports and seaports, the endorsement stamps, which had been affixed to the passports of foreign nationals in the past, were replaced with sticker-type endorsement stamps in January 2004, with the introduction of the FEIS. Moreover, information on passport holders is now immediately obtainable through an optical reading of the machine-readable portion of the passport's identity column using a specialized device, which has increased the efficiency and accuracy of immigration control. In addition, sticker-type endorsement stamps have, since January 2005, also been used to replace various other sorts of passport endorsement stamps for permission indicated on the passports of foreign nationals in the residence status examination procedures, including permission for extension of the period of stay and permission for change of the status of residence.

Furthermore, in order to curb the production and distribution of forged or altered passports and to restore trust with regard to passports, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) held consultations aimed at establishing international parameters for IC passports with a built-in IC chip. As a result of the consultations, it was concluded that the decision over whether or not to include fingerprint and iris pattern information on the IC chip as electronic biometric information would fall within the purview of the country in question while facial pattern information would be required internationally. In response to this, in Japan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs started issuing IC passports, on which the facial pattern is recorded, with respect to applications filed on and after March 20, 2006.

With the start of issuance of IC passports in Japan, the Immigration Bureau decided to introduce a new system to read IC passports for prescribed identification and to conduct trial operations and experimental tests for their introduction, based on the swift introduction of IC passports concurrent with ICAO’s international specifications in the United States and numerous European countries during the period between 2005 and 2006. In addition, a liaison council for promotion of an e-Passport collaborative project, composed of ministries and agencies concerned, airline companies, airport management companies and other groups, has held several deliberations at the initiative of the Cabinet Secretariat since its launch in May 2004, with a view to realizing the most appropriate airport procedures. As part of these consultations, the Immigration Bureau conducted an experimental test using sample IC
passports and IC cards at Narita Airport from February to May 2005 for the purpose of verifying the accuracy and speed of biometric identification in a concrete manner. The Immigration Bureau decided to introduce automated gates as part of its attempts to offer more user-friendly services. Before doing so, the bureau will evaluate the cost-effectiveness of such services, based on an understanding of users' needs, and will carry forward consideration of system management and verification of use methods in cooperation with the ministries and agencies concerned and related institutions on the premise of ensuring both security and convenience.
# Chapter 4 Entry and Residence Control of Foreign Nationals

## Section 1 ◆ Measures to Promote Tourism in Japan

## 1 Measures for Smoother but Stricter Immigration Examination

It is necessary for the Immigration Bureau to provide smoother immigration procedures for the great majority of trouble-free foreign visitors who come to Japan, while imposing stricter immigration control procedures to prevent foreign visitors from entering Japan if they intend to work illegally. Since more and more foreign people will visit Japan in the future as a result of Japan’s efforts in various areas, the immigration control authorities must satisfy two seemingly incompatible objectives: smoother but stricter immigration control procedures.

The Immigration Bureau provides well-balanced landing examination procedures by analyzing the data of statuses of residence and identifying the countries from where many overstayers and terrorists originate, and utilizes the results of analysis for landing examinations. At Narita Airport and Kansai Airport, the bureau has set up a special task force consisting of immigration control officers skilled in document analysis and the oral proceedings of landing examinations. The bureau sends them to local airports where no such staff reside, when necessary, in order to flexibly utilize know-how such as advanced technology and skills in detecting forged or altered documents, which are used in the large airports. In addition, the bureau introduced the secondary examination system and pre-clearance system in FY 2005, thereby further promoting the realization of smoother but stricter examination.

## 2 Visa Exemption

Visa systems differ from one country to another in terms of procedures and formats. Each nation has a visa system as part of its immigration procedures. In order to promote human exchange, many countries have mutually agreed to exempt temporary foreign visitors from the requirement of obtaining a visa if they are visiting for sightseeing, business, or family visit purposes. Visas are required for the landing examination in accordance with the Immigration Control Act, but the Act also provides that a visa is not necessary for foreign nationals if they are permitted to visit Japan without a visa based on an international agreement or on the Japanese government's notification to their home country.

In Japan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in charge of issuing or waiving visas. The
Japanese government has mutually agreed with many foreign governments to introduce a mutual visa waiver program. Generally speaking, the following foreign visitors do not need a visa: transit visitors not intending to conduct commercial activities; sightseeing visitors; foreign visitors intending to call on relatives; amateur sports participants; and temporary foreign visitors for business communication, contract signing, market surveys or after-sales service purposes. However, the visa exemption program does not apply to foreign nationals intending to work in Japan. If foreign nationals visit Japan without a visa, they are generally allowed to stay in Japan for a maximum period of 90 days.

In April 2005, Japan started visa exemption programs applicable to the nationals of the following countries or regions: Bulgarian passport holders and Vietnamese diplomatic or official passport holders (effective from May 1, 2005); Taiwanese residents (effective from September 26, 2005); and South Korean nationals (effective from March 1, 2006).

## Section 2 Simplifying the Entry and Departure Procedures of Foreign Nationals

## 1 Enforcement of the APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC)

The APEC business travel card (ABTC) is a special card issued and validated by the governments of the member countries and regions to a business person who frequently travels across the APEC zone. When entering member countries and regions that have validated the ABTC in advance, the business person can pass through immigration simply by possessing a valid passport and the ABTC. When he is permitted to land, he can stay in the country or region for at least two months or a maximum of three months. At present, 17 countries and regions participate in the ABTC program. (*)

(*) The member countries and regions as of the end of January 2006 are Australia, Brunei, Chile, China, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Viet Nam.

Japan started to use the ABTC on April 1, 2003. When an ABTC holder applies for landing in Japan for a temporary visit on business, he is not required to show his visa, and if the immigration inspector finds the person conforms to the conditions for landing, the inspector will grant him permission for landing as a “Temporary

ABTC
Visitor” (90 days).

Upon commencement of the use of the ABTC, in order to achieve smooth examination for landing of ABTC holders, special lanes for ABTC holders have been established in the Narita Airport District Immigration Office of the Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau, the Kansai Airport District Immigration Office of the Osaka Regional Immigration Bureau, and the Chubu Airport District Immigration Office of the Nagoya Regional Immigration Bureau. The Immigration Bureau is making efforts to establish ABTC special lanes in other airports as much as possible.

## 2 Operation of the Landing Permission for Crewmembers Support System

Utilizing the landing permission for crewmembers support system which commenced operations on July 23, 2003, applications for landing permission for crewmembers filed by carriers are received in electronic form, and operations such as the crosschecking of foreign nationals against a list of suspect persons and preparation of landing permission for crewmembers are conducted systematically. This system has made it possible to computerize records on the entry and departure of crewmembers and has improved the accuracy and convenience of the immigration control system. The Japanese government has the ultimate goal of providing a “one stop” service by accepting all application forms in an electronic format. At the moment, applicants in Japan now face inconvenience in that they must submit similar application forms to several different ministries if they want to utilize port-related civil services. Aiming at establishing a single window that comprehensively accepts both port-related and crewmember-related application forms, the Permission for Crewmembers Support System is designed to have interoperability with Sea-NACCS (Ministry of Finance) and the EDI System (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Japan Coast Guard and port managers). If applicants send their data to one of these systems, the data will automatically arrive at multiple ministries.

In FY 2004, the ministries in charge of marine affairs reexamined their systems, with an eye to future ratification of the Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic (FAL Convention), which aims at smoother vessel operations by standardizing port departure and arrival procedures. In this process, these ministries now provide more user-friendly application procedures by narrowing down the data input entries and unifying their application forms.

In FY 2005, the system for landing permission for crewmembers support was modified corresponding to the above-mentioned reexamination of systems. In addition, the Plan to Optimize Immigration Control Services and Systems was formulated, which included promotion of computerization of procedures relating to applications for landing permission for