## (6) Alien Registration System

Matters pertaining to the status and residence of Japanese nationals are clarified by family registration and residence registration. Unlike Japanese nationals, foreign nationals are not granted the natural right to reside in Japan. To live in Japan, they must acquire permission from the Japanese government. Therefore, in order to clarify matters concerning their status and residence, it is necessary for the government to accurately ascertain the kind of entry and residence permission granted to each foreign national. Due to the basic differences in legal status between Japanese nationals and foreign nationals, a system other than the Census Registration Law and the Resident Registration Law was necessary. Hence, the Alien Registration System was established.

The Alien Registration System was initiated by the Alien Registration Ordinance (Imperial Edict No. 207 of 1947, promulgated and enforced on May 2, 1947). When the Peace Treaty was enacted on April 28, 1952, it was succeeded by the current Alien Registration Law (Law No. 125 of 1952). Since then, the Alien Registration Act has been amended a number of times.

The Law states in Article 1 that “The purpose of this Law is to establish equitable control over aliens residing in Japan by clarifying matters pertaining to their residence and status and through the enforcement of the registration of such aliens.”

Changes have been made to the system, such as to the registered information and the period for renewal of the registration card( $ ^{*} $ 9), depending on the needs of the times. Under the current system, a foreign national who enters Japan must file an application for alien registration with the mayor or head of the city, town, or village where their residence is located within 90 days after landing in Japan. A foreign national who is born in Japan or became a foreign national by renouncement of Japanese nationality must file such an application within 60 days.

The registration card register( $ * $ 10 $ , in principal, is closed to the public, but new provisions clearly regulate its handling and makes possible the disclosure of specific parts of the contents to certain people.

Twenty items of information are registered, including the name, date of birth, nationality, address, occupation, and status of residence. A foreign national who is a permanent resident or special permanent resident does not need to register his occupation or the name and location of place where the alien is employed or his office, and a foreign national whose period of stay has been prescribed to be less than 1 year under the provisions of the Immigration Control Act and who is staying within such period does not need to register family information.

A foreign national aged 16 or older must have the issued registration card on his person at all times. In principle, a foreign national must renew his application within 30 days after his fifth birthday (after his seventh birthday if the foreign national is a permanent resident or special permanent resident) from the date of first registration or date of last renewal of registration entry.

In accordance with the provisions of this law, the administration work of alien registration by the mayor of the city or the head of the town or village is classified as an entrusted legal duty. Therefore, the Immigration Bureau, having a direct correlation with the city, town, or village, may set administration standards, or give technical advice or recommendations so that procedures can be followed in a precise and standard manner throughout the country.