residence to permanent residence or by those who have applied to acquire status of residence due to birth or renouncement of Japanese nationality.

### c. Revocation of Status of Residence System

The Revocation of Status of Residence System was established when the amendment of the Immigration Control Act entered into force in December 2005. This system stipulates that if there are reasonable grounds to suspect that the foreign national falls under the cases of revocation of status of residence (Article 22-4, Paragraph 1), the Minister of Justice may have an immigration inspector inquire into the facts (Article 59-2), and may have the immigration inspector that he designates hear the opinions of the foreign national (Article 22-4, Paragraph 2). Any foreign national whose status of residence is revoked in accordance with Item (1) or Item (2) is in serious violation of the Immigration Control Act and shall be deported from Japan immediately. However, any foreign national whose status of residence is revoked in accordance with Item (3) to Item (5) below may depart from Japan voluntarily within 30 days (Article 22-4, Paragraph 6).

Under the system, revocation has no retroactive effect unlike the revocation of permission for landing in accordance with general legal theory under the administrative laws.

Article 22-4 of the Immigration Control Act specifies the grounds for revocation of status of residence as follows.

(1) The foreign national has misled the immigration inspector, by making a false statement or by other dishonest means, to believe that he does not fall under any of the items of Article 5, Paragraph 1 and has received a stamp of permission for landing (Article 22-4, Paragraph 1(1)).

(2) The foreign national has received a stamp of permission for landing, by making a false statement or by other dishonest means regarding the activities to be undertaken while staying in Japan (Article 22-4, Paragraph 1(2)).

(3) Other than the cases provided for in the preceding two items, the foreign national has received a stamp of permission for landing, by making a false statement or by other dishonest means (Article 22-4, Paragraph 1(3)).

(4) Other than the cases provided for in the preceding three items, the foreign national has received a stamp of permission for landing, by submitting or presenting a document or a drawing that contains a false statement (Article 22-4, Paragraph 1(4)).

(5) Other than the cases provided for in any of the preceding items, the foreign national residing under a status of residence specified in the left-hand column of Annexed Table I has failed to continue to engage in the activities described in the right-hand column corresponding to that status for three months or more while residing in Japan (Article 22-4, Paragraph 1(5)).

## (4) Deportation Procedures for Foreign Nationals

In immigration control administration, it is necessary to promote smooth acceptance of foreign nationals on the one hand, and to maintain security and order in Japanese society by removing unwelcome foreign nationals from Japan on the other.

Deportation procedures for foreign nationals are a powerful administrative action where the foreign national is deported even if deportation is against his will. In international conventional law, deportation is left to national discretion. In Japan, this is practiced on the basis of the provisions for grounds for deportation and deportation procedures in the Immigration Control Act.

Deportation procedures begin with an immigration control officer conducting an investigation, and is composed of three steps, namely, examination by an immigration inspector, a hearing by a special inquiry officer, and the Minister's decision for the objection filed, to ensure that the foreign national who is undergoing the deportation procedures is given sufficient opportunity to assert his side and reasons for residence, and that the inspecting side can arrive at a decision after carefully examining the assertion.