### c. Pre-entry Examination

(a) Advance Consultation for Issuance of Visas

Though the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has the authority to issue visas, such authority is closely related to immigration control administration, since the holding of a valid visa is one of the conditions for landing in Japan.

For this reason, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which has the authority for visa-related affairs and the Ministry of Justice, which has the authority for immigration control, communicate and coordinate with each other concerning the entry of foreign nationals, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs consults with the Minister of Justice on issuance of an individual visa, if deemed necessary. Accordingly, the Minister of Justice examines whether the activities in which the foreign national intends to engage in while in Japan come under one of the statuses of residence described in the Annexed Table of the Immigration Control Act, by examining the submitted documents, and hearing about the circumstances from the domestic organization that plans to accept the foreign national. In addition, with regard to a foreign national who intends to engage in a particular activity, the Minister of Justice examines whether the foreign national meets each of the conditions for landing stipulated in the Ministerial Ordinance to Provide for Criteria pursuant to Article 7, Paragraph 1 (2) of the Immigration Control Act. Subsequently, the Minister of Justice answers the Minister of Foreign Affairs as to whether it is appropriate or not to issue a visa to the foreign national.

## (b) Certificate of Eligibility

A foreign national must, in principle, obtain a visa from a Japanese diplomatic establishment abroad before visiting Japan. It usually takes several months after submitting an application, except for visas such as “Temporary Visitor” which are issued at the diplomatic establishment abroad, since the visa will not be issued until the application accepted abroad has been sent to Japan, examined in Japan, and has been sent back to the country with the confirmation that the visa may be issued to the foreign national.

Therefore, in order to alleviate such problems and to ensure prompt and simple entry examination procedures, the Certificate of Eligibility System was established when the amendment of the Immigration Control Act entered into force in 1990. When a foreign national or his representative applies for a certificate of eligibility for a status of residence (except for “Temporary Visitor” and “Permanent Resident”) in Japan beforehand, the Japanese government will examine in advance whether the foreign national is eligible for the status of residence. When the foreign national intends to engage in a specific activity, the government examines whether he meets the conditions for landing. If he is eligible for the status of residence and meets the conditions for landing, the Minister of Justice will issue a certificate of eligibility, which will enable the foreign national to smoothly acquire a visa and permission for landing by presenting the certificate.

This procedure enables the saving of time needed for the sending of documents, and also enables prompt entry examination procedures, since all the procedures for pre-entry examination are carried out in Japan, unlike the system of advance consultation for issuance of visas.