Silviase/jgov_v1.4_full_ann huggingface dataset:
Additional gates were installed at Haneda Airport in October 2010.

User registration of automated gates was started at the Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau

User registration of automated gates was started at the Narita Airport District Immigration Office in November 2007, followed by the Nagoya Regional Immigration Bureau, the Chubu Airport District Immigration Office, the Osaka Regional Immigration Bureau and the Kansai Airport District Immigration Office in September 2009, the Haneda Airport District Immigration Office of the Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau in October 2010, and the Takamatsu Regional Immigration Bureau in March 2011.

Moreover, in order to promote user registration at automated gates and to facilitate smooth immigration examination, the Immigration Bureau has improved services by introducing a “mobile on-site user registration” where immigration staff visit companies and provide registration services.

Automated Gates

## Section 2 ☐ Establishment of the Discussion Meeting on Immigration Control Administration in the Era of Accepting 25 Million Foreign Visitors

## 1 Background of the Establishment

The “New Growth Strategy”, which was decided by the Cabinet on June 18, 2010, advocates promoting a tourism-oriented country which should be a core measure for Japan’s future economic growth, by revitalizing economies and increasing employment opportunities in local communities that suffer sharp decreasing and aging population. Based on this idea, the strategy sets a goal to increase the number of foreign visitors to 25 million by the beginning of the year 2020 and to 30 million people in the future.

The Great East Japan Earthquake that occurred in March 2011 brought serious consequences to tourist sites nationwide, but the government continues its commitment to promoting measures for the realization of a tourism-oriented country, which, in particular, has come to be expected to play a central role in helping reconstruction of local economies after the earthquake.

In response, in order to discuss new examination methods to ensure smooth and strict immigration examination even in the era of accepting 25 million foreign visitors, the need arose to collect opinions widely from intellectuals in various fields from the viewpoints of the government and the people and based on professional knowledge. Under such circumstances, the Discussion Meeting on Immigration Control Administration in the Era of 25 Million Foreign Visitors (hereinafter referred to as “Discussion Meeting”) was established as a private panel of the Minister of Justice on October 14, 2011.

Upon the establishment of the Discussion Meeting, the Minister of Justice requested that the di-
section on the streamlining of immigration examination procedures should be proposed by the end of FY2011 and concrete measures based on the direction should be presented at the beginning of FY2013.

## 2 Discussions after the Establishment

Six sessions of the Discussion Meeting were held after its establishment in October 2011 to March 2012. At these sessions, an on-site observation was held at the Haneda Airport District Immigration Office of the Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau to grasp the present situation of immigration examination, and hearings were conducted for five organizations closely related to a tourism-oriented country. Through these sessions, the members discussed such issues as roles that immigration

Discussions at the Discussion Meeting

control administration should play in realizing a tourism-oriented country.

The details of these discussions were compiled as an interim report for FY2011 by the Discussion Meeting and submitted to the Minister of Justice on March 26, 2012.

## 3 Details of the Interim Report

As the basic concept on the streamlining of immigration examination procedures, the Interim Report states that simplifying the procedures, such as omitting part of them, is not preferable as a means for the streamlining, which aims to realize proper immigration examination even under circumstances where a large number of foreign nationals visit Japan in the future. Instead, the report points out that introducing machinery and automating the procedures, in place of the current examination by immigration inspectors, would be

The Interim Report being submitted to the Minister of Justice

the most realistic means, and also suggests the expansion of users of automated gates. Furthermore, it is recommended that demonstration trials should be conducted to discuss concrete means for automation including the use of biometric information (see the Topic below).

In line with these proposals, the Ministry of Justice plans to conduct demonstration trials at airports and study the possibility of application of various types of biometric information in FY2012.
## Topic

[ Outline of the Results of the Discussions on Immigration Control Administration in the Era of 25 Million Foreign Visitors (Interim Report)]

The Interim Report compiled in FY2011 mainly proposes the following:

### 1. Basic concept

In order to realize proper immigration examination even under circumstances where a large number of foreign nationals visit Japan in the future, simplifying the procedures, such as omitting part of them, is not preferable as a means for the streamlining, but introducing machinery and automating the procedures, in place of the current examination by immigration inspectors, would be the most realistic means. The expansion of users of automated gates should be promoted in the future.

### 2. Direction for the automation of immigration examination procedures

(1) For Japanese nationals

A. Expansion of the use of automated gates without requiring user registration

To conduct demonstration trials by introducing the facial recognition system using facial photographs recorded on IC passports at automated gates

B. Promotion of the use of already installed automated gates

To conduct demonstration trials by increasing automated gates, which are now installed one gate per one immigration examination area, and verifying the effects thereof

C. Study on the possibility of using various types of biometric information

To make further efforts for enhancing the current technology to use fingerprints, and also work on the possibility of using other types of biometric information, such as the irises and the veins, for automated gates

## (2) For foreign residents

A. Expansion of the use of automated gates without requiring user registration

In addition to the means mentioned in (1)A. above, to conduct study on an automated gate using fingerprints recorded on foreign IC passports

B. Consideration of the method to submit ED cards

To consider the method to make it unnecessary to submit ED cards such as through obtaining information on ED cards in advance

## (3) For foreign nationals newly visiting Japan

A. Consideration of a mechanism for the Immigration Bureau to identify those eligible for automated immigration examination procedures

To build a mechanism to identify foreign nationals eligible for automated procedures, and consider means to automate immigration examination procedures for such people
B. Others

To consider the streamlining of immigration examination procedures for passengers of cruise ships

## Section 3 ☐ Strengthened Countermeasures at the Port of Entry

In order to protect the lives and to keep the high standard of the public safety, it is extremely important to unfailingly prevent terrorists and other foreign nationals who have illegal intent, who are likely to disguise as ordinary tourists. Since the terrorist attacks on the United States in 2001, the Immigration Bureau has been continuously implementing strict immigration examination at the port of entry in order to prevent and forego such terrorists as they attempt to enter the country.

## 1 Implementation of Immigration Examination through the Use of Biometric Information

Since November 20, 2007, foreign nationals who intend to enter Japan have been required to repeat their biometric information (fingerprints and a facial photograph). This enables us to accurately and promptly confirm that an applicant for landing permission is identical to the passport holder, and to check the applicant against the blacklist maintained by the Immigration Bureau. In addition, it has become possible to detect, without fail, those who have previously been displaced and again try to enter the country illegally using forged or altered passports or others' passports by checking them against data on fingerprints and facial photographs of those displaced in the past, which is maintained by the Immigration Bureau. During the period from the commencement of the immigration examination using personal biometric information to the end of May 2012, the total number of people who were issued with a deportation order or were displaced reached around 3,400.

On the other hand, there have been many cases of illegal foreigners who try to enter the country illegally with fake fingerprints by damaging them directly or going through a plastic surgery, or with forged or illegally obtained passports, in order to avoid detection of their displacement in the past. If such fake fingerprint cases occur, the Immigration Bureau should not only adopt procedures for displacement immigration procedure, but also cause them to be subject to strict punishment in criminal procedure. Therefore, the Immigration Bureau makes a report and accusation of illegal entry to investigative authorities, and is striving to detect fake fingerprints by upgrading devices.
Immigration Examination through the Use of Personal Identification Information

Countermeasures against forging or alteration of documents

## 2 Use of the ICPO's Database on Lost and Stolen Passports

The “Action Plan for the Prevention of the Terrorism” (decided by the Headquarters for the Promotion of Measures against Transnational Organized Crime (TOC), Other Related Issues and International Terrorism on December 10, 2004) stipulated that a system to use the ICPO’s Database on Lost and Stolen Passports in the process of immigration examination should be introduced and operated as “Preventive Measures to be Taken Immediately to Fight Terrorism”. To that end, it was decided that examination procedures using the said database were put into effect in August 2009.

## 3 Immigration Examination through the Use of APIS

The Immigration Bureau is working to track international terrorists, etc., and collect information related to them in close cooperation with relevant organizations to prevent them from entering Japan and committing terrorist acts. In the process of landing examination, the Immigration Bureau is trying to detect terrorists, etc., by unfailingly checking foreign nationals against the blacklist based on such information.

Since February 1, 2007, all vessels and aircrafts calling at a port in Japan have been required to submit, in advance, a list of passengers containing their personal identification data. Since February 21, 2010, it became possible to receive advance passenger information about aircraft calling at an airport through the Air-NACCS (Nippon Automated Cargo and Port Consolidated System) operated by the Nippon Automated Cargo And Port Consolidated System, Inc., and a new air cargo advance passenger information system was launched.
# Chapter 5 The Implementation of the New Technical Intern Training Programs

## Section 1 ☐ Outline of the System

Training and intern training programs are intended to develop human resources who are responsible for economic development of their countries of origin through the transfer of technology and skills of Japan to technical interns etc. However, recently, an increasing number of accepting organizations that understand incorrectly regarding the objectives of the programs treat the trainees and interns improperly and pay them unfairly low wages. In addition, it has been pointed out that some accepting organizations do not provide adequate guidance and supervision for their affiliated organizations, and there are brokers who obtain illegally unfair profits from intermediary services for trainees.

In order to address the current situation, the new technical intern training programs were launched in July 2010. As a result, intern training are required to involve activities to acquire skills under the contract of employment, in principle, so that interns can be protected in accordance with the relevant Labor Standards Act and other labor-related laws and regulations, including the Minimum Wage Act. In the case of acceptance under the supervision of organizations, accepting organizations had previously supervised technical internships only in the first year. After the revision, such organizations are required to implement technical intern training in the second year or later under their responsibility and supervision.

The new programs require accepting organizations to receive lectures on information necessary for legal protection of technical interns, which will be given by an expert. In order to reinforce the instruction, supervision and support system of supervising organizations, it also stipulates the requirements of supervising organizations as follows: (i) the staff of supervising organizations shall visit the facility where programs are conducted at least once in a month to confirm the situation of technical intern training programs and give directions; (ii) board members of supervising organizations shall conduct an audit at least once in every three months, and report the results to the relevant regional immigration bureau; (iii) supervising organizations shall provide counseling staff who give advice to technical interns.

## Section 2 ☐ Response to Cases of Inappropriate Acceptance

Under the provisions including the ordinance of the Ministry of Justice, the Immigration Bureau may make a finding of “misconduct” with regard to organizations that have acted inappropriately regarding training and technical intern training programs. The Immigration Bureau suspends such organizations from accepting trainees and technical interns for one, three or five years depending on types of misconduct, as the ministerial ordinance stipulates. The number of organizations that were recognized to engage in “misconduct” during the year 2011 was 184.

According to the type of receiving arrangement, there were two organizations (1.1%) accepting
trainees under the company-arranged scheme and 182 organizations (98.9%) accepting trainees under the association-supervised scheme.

According to the type of receiving organization, there were 14 organizations (7.7%) as primary receiving organizations (entities like cooperative associations), and 168 organizations (92.3%) as secondary receiving organizations (entities like membership companies). (Table 49)

Table 49 Changes in the number of organizations subject to a finding of misconduct by type of receiving arrangement

YearType of receiving arrangement	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011
Company-arranged scheme	9	7	2	3	2
Association-supervised scheme	Supervising orgainaization (Primary receiving organization)	36	29	34	17	14
Program conducting organization (Secondary receiving organization)	404	416	324	143	168
Total	449	452	360	163	184

Three major categories of misconduct in descending order are “abuse of human rights”, “violation against labor-related law/regulations” and “inconsistencies with training and technical intern training programs”, such as the failure to pay wages to trainees and technical interns. These three categories account for 80.2% of all misconduct. (Table 50)
Table 50 Number of findings of misconduct by category (2011)

(Cases)

Category	"Company-arranged scheme (2 Organizations)"	Association-supervised scheme	"Total (184 Organizations)"
"Supervising Organization (14 Organizations)"	"Program conducting Organization (168 Organizations)"
Guideline	Ministerial Ordinance	Guideline	Ministerial Ordinances	sub total	Guideline	Ministerial Ordinances	sub total	Guideline	Ministerial Ordinances	sub total
Dual contract	Dual contract	0	0	0	1	0	1	1	0	1	2
Variance compared with Trainee and Technical Intern Training Plan	Variance compared with Trainee and Technical Intern Training Plan	0	1	1	4	2	6	5	12	17	24
Name lending	Name lending	0	0	0	0	1	1	4	5	9	10
Document foregoing/preparation and use of fraudulent document	Document foregoing/preparation and use of fraudulent document	0	0	0	4	4	8	2	3	5	13
Work in excess of statutory working hours	Work in excess of statutory working hours	0	0	0	0	0	0	6	9	15	15
Malicious acts related to human rights infringement	Violence • threat • confinement	0	0	1	2	0	3	7	0	89	93
Confiscation of Passport/Alien registration certificate	0	0	0
Nonpayment	1	1	82
Human rights infringement	0	0	0
Failure to report serious cases, etc.	Failure to report impossibility of continuation regarding the program conduction	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	1
Delinquency of supervising, organizing scheme for advising	0	0	0
Frequency of missing	0	0	0
Employment of illegal foreign workers	Employment of illegal foreign workers	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	3	4	4
Violation of labor-related regulations	Violation of labor-related regulations	0	0	0	1	0	1	53	28	81	82
Recurrence of similar inappropriate acts	Recurrence of similar inappropriate acts	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Confiscation of deposit	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Engagement of working activity during course study period	0	0	1	1	1	1	2
Arrangement with profit purpose	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Delinquency of daily report	0	0	0	0	2	2	2
Delinquency of report regarding leaving trainee	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total	0	2	2	13	9	22	79	145	224	248

(Note 1) If one accepting organization is recognized as one having committed “misconduct” covered by more than one category, it is classified in plural categories covering it, and therefore, the total number of accepting organizations is not identical to the total number of recognized cases in each category.

(Note 2)For 2011, Immigration Bureau decided organizations' inappropriate acts as 'misconduct' before and after the new system was introduced. Therefore, in and before June 2012, the number of illegal actions is counted in accordance with the categories specified in the Guidelines Concerning Entry and Residence Management of Technical Intern Trainees (revised in 2007). In and after July 2012, the numbers of illegal actions is counted in accordance with ministerial ordinances concerning landing criteria.
## Section 3 ☐ Situation after the Introduction of the New Technical Intern Training Programs

The number of newly entering foreign nationals with the status of residence of “Trainee” was 80,480 in 2009. In 2010, when the new system was introduced, the number of newly entering foreign nationals with the statuses of residence of “Trainee” and “Technical Intern Training (1)” was 77,727, and the number increased to 82,104 in 2011. It seems that the declining trend triggered by the Lehman Shock in 2008 had stopped, but due to the Great East Japan Earthquake and the subsequent accident at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in March 2011, not a few technical interns were forced to suspend their training and return to their home countries.

In order to verify the effects and influences of the new technical intern training program, more time is required as it is necessary to ascertain influences caused by other factors.

However, as mentioned in the previous section, there still are a considerable number of organizations committing misconduct with respect to training and technical intern training. In light of this, the Immigration Bureau will continue to grasp the situation after the introduction of the new system with the aim of contributing to better operation of the system.
## Chapter 6 More Appropriate and Smoother Admission of International Students

## Section 1 ☐ More Appropriate and Smoother Implementation of Immigration and Residence Examination of International Students

Admission of international students in post-secondary education is meaningful in many aspects, such as strengthening of international goodwill, deepening of mutual understanding and friendship by creation of a human network, international contributions through human resource development, creation of an international campus environment in universities, and acceptance of human resources who will play a part in economic activities in Japan. The “New Growth Strategy” (decided by the Cabinet in June 18, 2010) also set a “plan to accept 300,000 foreign talented students into Japan”, and the whole government is making an effort to realize the goal.

For the purpose of realizing the plan, immigration control authorities continue efforts to ensure proper residence management in cooperation with educational institutions, and to promote more appropriate and smoother admission of international students in post-secondary education. Specifically, with respect to applications made by educational institutions that do not give rise to overstayers or illegal workers by proper enrollment control, the documents to be submitted should be drastically simplified. On the other hand, with respect to applications made by educational institutions that give rise to large numbers of overstayers or illegal workers, strict examination needs to be carried out as in the past.

## Section 2 ☐ Promotion of Admission of the International Students in Post-Secondary Educational Programs/Institutions through Employment Assistance for Graduates of Vocational/Technical Schools

When international students who graduated from vocational/technical schools in Japan and hold the title of “Senmonshi” get job offers in Japan, they are able to change their status of residence from “Student” to the statuses of residence which allows to work such as “Engineer”, “Specialist in Humanities/International Services”. However, on the other hand, prior to the amendment of related Ministerial Ordinance, if the international students holding “Senmonshi” once returned to their home countries, the status of residence such as “Engineer”, “Specialist in Humanities / International Services” were not granted to them however they desire to work in Japan. This was because the landing permission criteria (Ministerial Ordinance) required them to have the educational qualification equivalent to college graduates.

As a part of “Economic measures in three stages toward the realization of the New Growth Strategy (decided by the Cabinet on September 10, 2010)”, this problem was decided to be reconsidered to draw a conclusion by the end of FY 2010 as to whether the international students, who graduated
from vocational/technical schools in Japan and returned to their home countries, should be permitted to apply for this treatment is based on the standpoint that the national government helps international students with “senmonshi” get employed right after they finish school. The government also expects more acceptance of international students could be promoted through measures including this kind of support.

As a result, taking into consideration the fact that there are a number of graduates of vocational/technical schools who have desired to get jobs in Japan but could not get any job offer, the landing permission criteria (Ministerial Ordinance) involved in the statuses of residence of “Instructor”, “Engineer”, “Specialist in Humanities/International Services” and “Designated Activities” related to designated information processing activities were amended so that international students with the title of “Senmonshi” are able to meet the requirements of educational qualifications set forth in the criteria, for the purpose of further supporting employment of international students in post-secondary education.